What games did you complete? 2021 Edition

[Unofficial Who]

And 2020 is done. If nothing else it gave plenty of us bunkered down to get some game playing in.

 

Hopefully people's lists will be shorter but if not...welcome to the What games did you complete? 2021 Edition thread!

 

Some very basic ground rules, when posting about a completion, if people could list their previously completed titles in a spoiler that'd help keep the thread from just turning into a series of ever-increasing lists to scroll through, think of the poor mobile users. Also, it'd be nice if people wrote something about what they've played as it's always good to hear opinions (especially for games that don't have their own threads). Obviously how much you write is up to you, but if it generates some discussion, even better!

 

An additional note, this thread isn't here to suck away any interesting discussion away from dedicated game topics. If while writing up a pocket review or summary here you come up with some interesting discussion consider copying (or expanding) on those points in the dedicated topic.

 

Completed doesn't have to mean 100% completion, that would be madness. Don't get too obsessed. If you are playing a game that you find you are hating....just add it to your abandoned pile. (I'll add a link here once someone starts up an abandoned games thread for 2021.) Don't waste your time on something you no longer enjoy.

 

Postmortems on  last years gaming to be kept at the end of the 2020 thread if possible so as not to split the discussion https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/314266-what-games-did-you-complete-2020-edition/

 

 

Here are previous years you might want to look at for nostalgia or to help with your nominations for game of the decade.

2020 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/314266-what-games-did-you-complete-2020-edition/

2019 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/308681-what-games-did-you-complete-2019-edition/

2018 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/303667-what-games-did-you-complete-2018-edition/&

2017 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/296730-what-games-did-you-complete-2017-edition/&

2016 http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/290301-what-games-did-you-complete-2016-edition/

2015 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/282982-what-games-did-you-complete-in-2015/

2014 http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/276281-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2014/

2013 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/267607-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2013/

2012 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/256988-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2012/

2011 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/237405-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2011/

2010 http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/236931-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2010/

2009 http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/219264-what-games-did-you-finish-in-2009/

2008 https://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?/topic/199358-games-youve-completed-this-year-2008/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gabe]

Good job, @Unofficial Who and I look forward to starting my 2021 list soon!

[Unofficial Who]

Jan

 

03/01 Tell Me Why (PC) Or Life Is Strange 3. I was thrilled at this turning up on gamepass having been hesitant to buy this after bouncing off Life Is Strange 2. A three episode mystery game set near Alaska you play as twins Tyler and Alyson, both in their early 20's returning to their childhood home in order to sell it and investigate their mother's life and death. Like other dontnod games there's an aspect of magical realism here with the twins able to speak to each other with an internal voice as well as view memories of the past together. There's a lot of good here. dontnod's set designers are masters at making what are essentially adventure rooms look like open world locations. Dense with detail but never messy. And Tell Me Why marks the game where their character models approach photorealism. It's an amazing looking game. They've done their research too, Delos Crossing feels like a real place. One of the leads, Tyler Ronan is transgender and they've done their research here as well as had Tyler voiced by a transgender actor. I don't have any experience or know anyone who's transitioned from female to male but I've read some accounts of how genuine Tyler and the people surrounding him feel. There's a great take here at https://kotaku.com/tell-me-whys-first-episode-is-too-real-1844867529

 

Quote

Tell Me Why portrays the particularly trans horror of going back to your hometown after you’ve transitioned with nuance and honesty. As a twin myself, I’ve been party to “you remember my brother” countless times, followed by the silent freefall of a person you’ve known since you were little reconsidering how they feel about you before your eyes. It’s frightening and painful to come back to a place you think belongs to you, only to feel like you’ve given up that claim because you grew up to be different than people expect.

 

There's a lot of good there. However there's some major issues too. Mechanically the twins movement through the world is a bit sluggish, something I'd put down to my PC struggling with how pretty the game is but I've seen it mentioned universally elsewhere.  There also seems to be an issue with "nodes" being a little too small. All too often I'd approach an object to interact with and get too close and have to back up a bit in order to look or interact.

 

But the major issue is the pacing. It moves incredibly slowly in the first two acts. It might be that they were overly careful here in threading the needle that there feels like a major lack of conflict (unless you decide to be a jerk and that option is there.). For me it did pay off by the third act but by then I'd put it down for two months and almost put it down again.

 

There's such rare positive transgender representation in any media and female to male transgender characters of any profile are essentially invisible and unrepresented. I can imagine that for some teenagers and their families this game is going to mean the world for them. Both with being represented and seeing well meaning people struggle imperfectly but actually making an effort. Having it free on gamepass is going to allow a lot of people out there access to this as well. 

 

 

01/01 Tales from Off Peak City : Vol 1 (PC) Playing through games I've enjoyed more than once has become a bit of a thing for me if I have the excuse. In this case Cosmo D added some more content and polished the game up around the edges to make it less obscure (there's now an in game hint system.) For those not familiar with the game you play as someone with the assignment to steal a saxophone from an ex-musician, now owner of a pizza parlour. It's not so simple and suddenly you find yourself running the pizza parlour and delivering pizzas to the towns eccentric inhabitants. It's a walking sim with a weird art style that straddles pretty and ugly and a fantastic jazz soundtrack. This is a sequel to The Norwood Suite and Off Peak (Off-Peak is free so try that out to see if this is your bag.) I'm still gutted I forgot to add it to some of the categories for last year's game of the year award.

 

[Quest]

22/12 - Going Under (Series X)

19/12 - Halo Infinite (Series X)

18/12 - The Gunk (Series X)

16/12 - Sea of Solitude (Series X)

10/12 - Kid A Mnesia Exhibition (Series X)

10/12 - Forza Horizon 5 (Series X)

02/1- - Townscaper (Series X)

 

30/11 - Panzer Paladin (Switch)
23/11 - Omno (Series X)

22/11 - Exo One (Series X)

08/11 - The Procession to Calvary (Series X)

07/11 - Superliminal (Series X)

06/11 - Sable (Series X)

04/11 - Unpacking (Series X)

03/11 - If Found.... (Switch)

 

 

Previous:

Spoiler

31/10 - Bowser's Fury (Switch)

29/10 - Knights & Bikes (Series X)

28/10 - FH3 - Hotwheels (Series X)

28/10 - FH3 - Blizzard Mountain (Series X)

28/10 - Forza Horizon 3 (Series X)

18/10 - Pullblox (3DS)
17/10 - Dragon Quests XI S (XB1X)

13/10 - Mighty Goose (Series X)

12/10 - Super Mario 3D World (Switch)

11/10 - WarioWare Gold (3DS)

10/10 - Road to Guangdong (Switch)

01/10 - DeltaRune Chapters 1+2 (Switch)

 

28/09 - Paradise Killer (Switch)

23/09 - Haven (Series X)

21/09 - Night in the Woods (Series X)
18/09 - Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Series X)

17/09 - Rain On Your Parade (Series X)

15/09 - Telling Lies (Switch)
15/09 - The Artful Escape (Series X)

12/09 - Gears Tactics (Series X)

 

31/08 - Psychonauts 2 (Series X)

24/08 - Dodgeball Academia (Series X)

17/08 - Boyfriend Dungeon (Series X)

16/08 - Monument Valley - Ida's Dream (Apple Arcade)

16/08 - Monument Valley - Forgotten Shores (Apple Arcade)

16/08 - Monument Valley (Apple Arcade)

16/08 - Super Leap Day (Apple Arcade)

13/08 - Inks+ (Apple Arcade)

13/08 - Psychonauts (Series X)

 

25/07 - Doom Eternal (Series X)

25/07 - Last Stop (Series X)

04/07 - Sky: Children of the Light (Switch) 

04/07 - Stories Untold (Switch) 

03/07 - Cadence of Hyrule - Symphony of the Mask (Switch)

01/07 - Super Mario Galaxy (Switch)

 

26/06 - Fatum Betula (Switch)

22/06 - Part Time UFO (Switch)

15/06 - Samus Returns (3DS)

10/06 - Unravel Too (XB1X)

 

01/05 - Horace (Switch)

 

10/04 - The Last Campfire (Apple Arcade)

11/04 - Crackdown 3 (XB1X)

09/04 - Cyber Shadow (XB1X)

07/04 - Eastshade (XB1X)

05/04 - Spiritfarer (XB1X)

01/04 - Wilmot's Warehouse (XB1X)

 

31/03 - Genesis Noir (XB1X)

19/03 - World's End Club (Apple Arcade)

14/03 - Ultimate NES Remix (3DS)

07/03 - Ex-Ranza (Mega Drive)

07/03 - Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (Apple Arcade)

07/03 - The Misadventures of Tron Bonne (PS1)

 

01/03 - Attack of the Friday Monsters! (3DS)

25/02 - Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)

24/02 - BoxBoy! (3DS)

22/02 - Pilotwings Resort (3DS)

21/02 - Psycho Dream (SNES)

20/02 - Luigi's Mansion (3DS)

19/02 - Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)

17/02 - Rage Racer (PS1)

16/02 - Policenauts (PS1)

14/02 - Wipeout 3 (PS1)

11/02 - Drill Dozer (GBA)

05/02 - Cadence of Hyrule (Switch)

31/01 - River City Girls (XB1X)

28/01 - Gears 5: Hivebusters (XB1X)

27/01 - Katana Zero (XB1X)

26/01 - Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment (Switch)

23/01 - The Wonderful 101 (Switch)

22/01 - Super Mario Sunshine (Switch)

19/01 - Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001 (Switch)

19/01 - Grindstone (Apple Arcade)

16/01 - The Stretchers (Switch)

14/01 - The Midnight Sanctuary (Switch)

13/01 - Tangle Tower (Apple Arcade)

12/01 - The Shrouded Isle (Switch)

12/01 - Forza Horizon 4 - LEGO Speed Champions (XB1X)

09/01 - Forza Horizon 4 - Fortune Island (XB1X)

07/01 - The Pathless (Apple Arcade) 

05/01 - Assemble with Care (Apple Arcade) 

04/01 - What the Golf? (Apple Arcade) 

04/01 - Takeshi & Hiroshi (Apple Arcade) 

03/01 - Lifelike (Apple Arcade)

01/01 - Cricket Through the Ages (Apple Arcade) 

 

 

Ongoing:

Phoenix Wright: Justice for All (Switch)

MonHun Rise (Switch)

Ring Fit Adventure (Switch)

[Yewone]

My 2021 list:

 

06/01/21 - Immortals Fenyx Rising (PS5)

21/01/21 - Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS4)

24/01/21 - Hitman 3 (PS5)

26/01/21 - Donut County (Xbox Gamepass)

30/01/21 - Pistol Whip (Quest 2)

03/02/21 - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (PS4)

07/02/21 - Audica (Quest 2)

02/03/21 - Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5: Lvl 100 (Xbox)

17/03/21 - Baldur's Gate 3 (PC Early Access) 

19/03/21 - Dirt 5: Encore DLC (PS5)

21/03/21 - Gears 5: Hivebusters (Xbox Gamepass)

21/03/21 - Super Mario 3D World: Bowsers Fury (Switch)

23/03/21 - Half-Life: Alyx (PC)

06/04/21 - Dirt 5: Uproar DLC (PS5)

15/04/21 - Outriders (PC)

17/04/21 - Teardown (PC Early Access)

23/04/21 - Oxenfree (PC Gamepass)

09/05/21 - Resident Evil Village (PS5)

23/05/21 - Mass Effect 1: Legendary Edition (PS5)

06/08/21 - Streets of Rage 4 (Xbox)

08/08/21 - Everspace 2 (PC)

09/08/21 - Deaths Door (Xbox)

10/08/21 - Omno (Xbox Gamepass)

23/08/21 - Twelve Minutes (Xbox Gamepass)

27/08/21 - Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PC)

08/09/21 - Psychonauts 2 (Xbox Gamepass)

11/09/21 - Dirt 5: Super Size DLC (PS5)

11/09/21 - The Artful Escape (Xbox Gamepass)

12/09/21 - Dirt 5: Wild Spirit DLC (PS5)

19/09/21 - Deathloop (PC)

22/09/21 - Lost In Random (PC)

29/09/21 - Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS5)

01/10/21 - Hot Wheels Unleashed - SP Campaign (PS5)

18/10/21 - Metroid Dread (Switch)

24/10/21 - Tales of Arise (PS5)

27/10/21 - Sackboy: A Big Adventure - Co-Op (PS5)

29/10/21 - Mass Effect 2: Legendary Edition (PS5)

26/11/21 - Guardians of the Galaxy (PS5)

19/12/21 - Chorus (PC)

 

In (various states of) Progress:

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PS5)

Resident Evil 4 VR (Quest)

 

Not Yet Started:

Lost Judgment (PS5)

Mass Effect 3: Legendary Edition (PS5)

 

Abandoned:

Persona 5 (PS4) - Its just too damn long

Wasteland 3 (Xbox Gamepass) - Its just too damn long

Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox) - Too much busy work

 

[Jamie John]

1. Hades (2020) - PC & Switch

 

 

What a fantastic way to start the year!

 

After beginning and then abandoning both Bastion and Transistor, I was half-expecting this to leave me similarly underwhelmed, and seeing as (typically) I don't tend to enjoy roguelikes, I was doubly dubious about it going in. I needn't have worried, however, because this really is as good as everyone (except @Marlew) says it is - a fantastic blend of action and storytelling that kept me playing late into the night over the Christmas period. So good, in fact, that I just had to buy it on the Switch as well as the PC so that I could play it any chance I got.

 

There's not much which hasn't been said about it already, and I won't try to change that here, but I will say that if there was ever a game to get you interested in playing roguelikes then this is it. Despite reaching the credits, I'm far from finished with this and imagine that it'll be my pick up and play game for a long while yet.

 

Excellent.

 

Completed in 2021

Spoiler

1. Hades (PC & Switch)

 

[Marlew]

Me and the other 22 iconoclasts, mate. 

[Gabe]

Alrighty, let's get this kicked off!

 

01/01/2021 - Suikoden (PS1)

 

I'm not sure if this is regarded more as a cult classic or just a classic (I realise Suikoden II is widely felt to be the pinnacle of the series) but revisiting this now, compared to when I originally played all those years ago, was not favourable.

 

I mean, I can live with crude graphics and I wouldn't expect it to be packed full of QoL features but, whilst annoyances (the latter especially - swapping and equipping party members is extremely painful), they aren't the real problem with the game. That honour falls to the fact that as an RPG there's absolutely no character growth, an incredibly basic and also easy combat system, too many characters leading to nobody having any defined roles or identity and a plot that is serviceable at best. I really expected more from it and have come away really disappointed and lacking enthusiasm to progress with the series.

 

There are some really cool ideas within the game - build-up your castle's residents, lead an army, recruit 100+ characters etc - but every part is so lightweight that it leads to the feeling that you might as well have had a core group of ~10 characters to choose from throughout the game. Indeed, given that most missions force you into taking people along it often feels the case that you have a dedicated team anyway. The dialogue is poor, too, being at times childish (not in a humorous way), twee and condescending and what's with the slightly creepy relationship between Gremio and the player character?

 

If feels like a game of missed opportunities, though it does have some plus points. The levelling system, for example, means that if you are trying out/being forced to take a low-level character, they will catch up in levels disproportionately quickly. The idea of large-scale army battles too adds a different layer to things, along with the duels (though let's be honest, their very presence is a bit weird) and the building up of the hub. But, as I've said, none of these elements are fleshed out and all feel lacking.

 

Still, it was an RPG I'd wanted to play for a long time (I don't even remember how far I got with it back in the day, but I can see why my younger, less patient self gave up with it) and in that respect I'm glad I did. What, though, does Suikoden II bring to the table for it to be held in such high acclaim? That's one to find out in due course I guess.

[CurryKitten]

10/01/2021 - Dark Souls (Xbox 360)

 

In an attempt to get back to the games I gave up on, or got distracted by other things, I've been putting many hours into this game in the last few weeks.  I started it back in 2012 and mostly wondered around going to the wrong places and dying an awful lot.  This time around, I started afresh on my Xbox One and had absolutely no qualms about using a guide to figure out the correct (read easier for a first timer) order of visiting areas.  I still died a lot (as you'd expect) and spent quite some time having a bit of a grind to build up some stats, but finally tonight (well, yesterday now) I finished it with 70 hours play time on the clock.  So, I finally get the hype on this one, it is a bit of a masterpiece, but really, I found I didn't know how to play it until I'd finished it.  Maybe I'll do a NG+, but there's much left on the todo list.

[BadgerFarmer]

January

1. Kentucky Route Zero
What do you say about this? Probably loads once you really get going, but no time for that now. The best brief thing to say is that it's not like anything else I've played before. I mean, it's not a game, is it, or even a walking sim? More like an interactive theatrical production, but also a bit like a novel due to all the text. It's fascinating, and not just for being weird, which it definitely is, but for being properly surreal in a way that brings out the strangeness of everyday (American) lives. And for being playful with your perspective and your role, ensuring that you're always taking part in the story, not just a spectator, even when there's not really much to do.

I did think it was a bit too stretched out though, especially in parts 3 and 4. Not enough to break up the endless conversations, no matter how well written they are. But even then, it's interesting to think about that in terms of how the game branched out over time between episodes and got more ambitious. I think it would have been a different experience again to play it in pieces, as originally intended.

 

2. Demon's Tilt

Not one you can really finish, but I set myself a target of getting the two big trophies - access Wizard mode (doing all the ritual challenges on the table in one game) and reaching 1 billion points - and managed those, so that'll  do.

 

This is pretty much what I hoped it would be. I'm not really interested in pinball, but always loved Devil Crash on the MD, and Demon's Tilt is clearly channelling its spirit. A little more like a proper table than DC, but also includes all the moving parts and monsters that being a video game allows. Hitting targets is one thing, smashing the ball into bullet-spewing hell spawn takes it to a different level. There's tons to do and every challenge requires strategies, practice and a bit of skill to get it done reliably. The main table is even better than DC's, which is definitely something.

 

The only issue really is the rather rigid front end. To get a satisfactory control set up I had to change the PS4 settings. There's an Ex-mode which adds bonus screens, but is also more difficult. Why not have the extras on the standard difficulty too? The game itself is good enough to deserve a little more care in this area.

[joffocakes]

I didn't keep up with the thread last year but it was mainly Mario games I completed, in my excitement for the 35th anniversay (Super Mario Bros 1, 2, 3, World, Yoshi's Island, Mario 64, Sunshine and Galaxy, plus SMB1 again on the wee Game and Watch). 

 

Tried to get a game finished on the first day of the year but watched the full new series of Cobra Kai so it had to wait until the early hours of this morning:

 

02/01/2021 - Demon's Souls (PS5)

 

This is the first From Software game I've saw through to the end despite starting Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro over the years. That it was more linear than those games definitely helped, as I'm often paralysed by choice as new areas were open up to me. 

 

I found it pretty tough near the start; the path up to and the battle with Tower Knight took me many attempts. I hadn't realised I could spend the souls to level up either, which didn't help. The early stages of the other archstones (I went for 2 and 4) were tricky for me too; I'd played for over 11 hours and had only finished 1-1 and 1-2! I do enjoy the repetition of short stages though I can see how it might have been more frustrating back in the day with PS3 loading times.

 

Beyond that progress was much more comfortable. I got more familiar with the pace of the combat and the weapon upgrades and figured out how the bows work, which made some tricky sections more doable. Plus I kept firing more and more numbers into my Soul Level, like a big coward. A few of the bosses at the end of tricky stages were pretty easy (3-1, 4-1, 4-2, 5-1) more like a finish line than a hurdle, so that too was a relief.

 

Overall I loved it; I'm keep to push on for the Platinum trophy and curious about "Soul Level 1" completion, which just seems absolutely impossible. Plus it'll likely inspire me to play the other From Software games I already own so it's incredible value for money in that regard.

 

[8]

 

[Gabe]

02/01/2021 - Call to the Sea (PC)

 

A puzzler-cum-walking sim set on an empty, desolate island with a chunky, antique art style and the promise of a mystery to solve should've been a winner for those with a passing interest in any of the elements (let alone all of them) and yet what we get is a dull, uninspired story poorly told at - despite the lean runtime - at a glacial pace.

 

For me, the game in a microcosm is neatly captured at the start of the game's third chapter. You come across a location that would seem rife for opportunities to add intrigue, atmosphere and tension to the player characters situation but instead you're barely in it before having to leave to traipse all the way back across the map, then back again to do not much more than press some buttons, completely wasting what could've been a standout moment.

 

You could possibly overlook that if there was some really good characterisation going on, or if the puzzles felt organic to the world, but there isn't and they don't, more just being obstacles to you getting the next bit of monotone exposition. I said this in the dedicated thread, but unlike Edith Finch - where the house was very much the front and central character - the island does not (though it most certainly should) perform that same duty here. It's just a series of corridors that lead you to the next arbitrary roadblock, all the whilst being given the story not through intelligent use of the environment, but explicitly by your avatar who seemingly can piece together disparate bits of information and formulate intricate theories as to what has happened.

 

The sad thing here is that there could've been a really nice little mystery to solve here but the initial set-up (which is actually very good) is given no room to breathe, with the direction of the game being spelt-out to you after mere minutes. There's no time for you to survey your surroundings and postulate on what went on and so, in that instant, you lose a fair sense of wonder.

 

It's surprisingly glitchy, too. I had disappearing world textures (I actually fell through the world at one point), non-loading textures both when picking up items and in general transit, stutters and proper pauses during gameplay.

 

It's perfect cannon-fodder for Game Pass, in that I don't feel I've wasted money and the devs have received some payment, somehow (possibly even by me just downloading and launching it). It's regrettable though, because I think it could've been so much more.

 

 

Previously completed:

Spoiler

01/01/2021 - Suikoden (PS1)

 

[phillv85]

Started the year all fighty. So far I’ve been through two beat em ups, started Dead Cells as well, what a game that is.

 

January

Streets of Rage 4 - Xbox Series X (via Game Pass)

Paprium - Sega Mega Drive

Skyrim - Xbox Series X (via Game Pass)

 

April

Odin Sphere Leiftrasir - PS4

 

August

Necromunda: Hired Gun - Xbox Series X

Crows: Burning Edge - PS4

Hades - Xbox Series X (via Game Pass)

[CurryKitten]

02/01/2021 - Untitled Goose Game (PS4)

 

Woo, on a roll here.  Hardly a lengthy game, but really fun and charming - I'm glad it was on the Xmas list.  I wanted something a bit light and easy-going after the 70 hours I sunk into Dark Souls and this was a perfect fit!  (ok technically, I have a few of the extra to-do's that appear after the end left, but not many and I don't intend to do the time based ones)

[SeanR]

03/01 Crysis no idea how long it's been in my collection. I can check the expenditure threads, I guess, or maybe I only have it because GamesWithGold / GamePass / EAAccess? Anyway, I completed C2 and C3 on the 360 literally AGES ago, but never played the original, despite loving FarCry, probably because it was released 4 years after the PC version, and I ceased to be a member of the PC Master Race in 2009. Satisfactory. Actually, I think that might be unfair, judging it with eyes that have seen the numerous FC sequels, and COD games. Playing on an Xbox One X probably helped iron out any performance issues too.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by SeanR

[Goose]

Just completed Wilmot's Warehouse and absolutely loved it. 

 

You begin with 4 different products that are delivered by truck (usually a total quantity of around 25). You get 2 minutes to sort them out however you want, before the counter opens and you have to serve four people the items they want (and in the correct quantity, within a time a limit). The round ends, and you're then given four more items and time to sort them before the counter opens again.

 

After three rounds, you're allowed to do a stocktake, giving you infinite time to rearrange the warehouse how you want. The faster you serve people the more stars you're awarded, and these can be used to buy a robot helper, the ability to carry more items or remove pillars from the warehouse to create more storage space.

That's about it. The idea is to be able to handle 200 different items and serve the customers within the allocated time. I found it to be incredibly additive and relaxing at the same time. The items can be sorted however you want - some resemble real things, while others are simple shapes. Trying to get them sorted and in an order you're going to remember is rewarding.

 

Really enjoyed it, and I've just completed a 200 item run, ending the game. The only real downside is there's nothing after that. I was hoping you could just continue taking in stock and serving the counter. Still, a great game, well worth seeking out (it's on Gamepass and was given away free on the Epic store some time ago).

[Mawdlin]

Vampyre (PS4)

 

What a dog's breakfast of a game this is. You play Olivier Giroud investigating the outbreak of a vampire/flu epidemic circa 1918. It starts as it means to go on, throwing you in blind and clueless with little to no explanation of its finicky and obtuse systems. Frequent technical issues - sound glitches, crashes and constant loading screens - frustrate the experience further. The combat is horrible and the graphics PS3 standard.

 

I really enjoyed it.

 

There's some alchemy here that proved compelling despite the issues. The combat is imprecise but once I'd levelled up I found the risk/reward of expending blood to boost attack clever and engaging. I actually started looking forward to encounters. I didn't care much for the endless dialogue trees but the plot itself was decent. The cast of characters was interesting; the bosses in particular feeling like they had motivation and inner lives.

 

I do think Dontnod's artistic vision far exceeded its technical prowess, however. The constant loading screens meant that I was looking at my mobile phone for 30 percent of the game and it gave the experience a very choppy, oldschool feel.

 

This was free on PSplus and there's no way I would have bothered otherwise. I'm glad this quirky adventure was made, as it harks back to games like Eternal Darkness and Shadow Man on N64, a time when being experimental with a big budget was encouraged. I do like slick, linear Uncharted adventures but let's hope stuff like this never disappears.

 

7/10

[FiveFootNinja]

Well may as well kick the year off  

 

 

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS5) - This is the best Uncharted game and that tells you everything you need to know about it. The combat/cover systems are still as janky and annoying as ever, the platforming is great, the QTE set pieces are spectacular but massively over used, and the plot is stupidly far fetched but very entertaining. Standard Uncharted. However this one really nits things together well with some great levels, top-notch writing and voice performances, and genuine heart at the centre of the narratives. It looks frankly astonishing too, one of the most impressive games I've played in that regard and I can't believe it's nearly 5 years old. I felt the final two main chapters let it down a bit, but the epilogue is a really really lovely piece of narrative closure and rounds the Nathan Drake (et al) arcs nicely. I really enjoyed playing it and hope they never make another one with him as the lead. - 8/10

[spanx]

1. Immortals Fenyx Rising (03/01)

 

I’d been interested in this since it’s Gods and Monsters reveal (a much much better name). I’m a fan of the Assassins Creed games in general, although Valhalla was a bit meh, so expectations weren’t super high but I’d kept my eye on it. It looked lovely in the screenshots and the BOTW vibes were strong. 
 

Anyway, I wasn’t disappointed with this one at all. It’s nothing like BOTW really apart from some very light-fingered “inspiration” with some of the mechanics. What it is though is a fun romp with lovely visuals, a really fun combat setup (although piss-easy once you’ve powered up a bit) and some cracking physical puzzles, especially the boss vaults. It’s utterly generic really, and no desire to play NG+ or anything, but the 30-40 hours I spent with it were fun and charming. 
 

7/10

 

In progress

- Cyberpunk 2077

- Dragon Quest 11 S

Tempted with

- Hitman 2

- Monster Train

- My Time at Portia

[Couk]

Right. I've scrolled past these threads for years now without getting involved. 

This year, I want to treat myself to a PS5. A couple of things are holding me back from doing so currently: availability, affordability, the fact it has a pretty small library of games right now, AND...most importantly... I have a mountain of unfinished (in some cases unplayed) games that I bought last year.

 

Here is that list:

Spoiler

Switch:
[  ] Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition
[  ] Syberia 1
[  ] Syberia 2
[  ] Shensekai: Into the Depths
[  ] Inside My Radio
[  ] Semblance
[  ] Horace
[  ] Evergate
[  ] Sundered
[  ] Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
[  ] Lair of the Clockwork God
[  ] Toad: Treasure Tracker
[  ] Unravel 2
[  ] Hades
[  ] Cadence of Hyrule
[  ] Wandering
[  ] Untitled Goose Game

PS4
[  ] Crash Bandicoot 4
[  ] Spelunky 2 (secret ending)
[  ] The Evil Within 2
[  ] Outer Wilds
[  ] Moss
[  ] Rabi Ribi
[  ] Dishonored- Death of the Outsider
[  ] Bioshock Infinite
[  ] Xcom 2
[  ] Shantae- Half Genie Hero
[  ] Wattam
[  ] 428 Shibuya Scramble

PC
[  ] Anodyne 2

3DS
[  ] Layton's Mystery Journey

Wii
[  ] A Shadow's Tale
[  ] Pandora's Tower

 

Amazingly, only 3 days into the year, I've finished a game!

 

Wunderling (Switch)

 

A fun little indie puzzle platformer, where you are a sort of Goomba, where you automatically walk left and right, but can jump and boost, and try and get to the exit. Each level had some optional extras, like hidden exits to secret levels, chests containing cosmetic items for your character, etc. There are loads of levels,  but I was compelled to play and completely finish it (with all collectibles) in one day. It took maybe about 10 hours. Some great puzzles and neat ideas. My one gripe was that [spoiler] when you beat the game, there's an implication that there is a second "good ending". But after finding literally everything in the game, there's no extra reward at all. Still...[/spoiler]

 

Deffo recommend!

 

Games finished in 2021:

Spoiler

Switch:

Wunderling (03/01)

 

Edit: I am bad at spoiler tags 

[MikeF]

I'll take this slot, aiming to try to complete as many games as I can this year

 

January

Spoiler

 

1. January 2nd - Sackboy - PS5

• Really enjoyable game, apart from the final trial, but despite this I have started the PS4 version too, although not sure if I will attempt the final trial again

2. January 4th - Tesla vs Lovecraft - PS4

• Revisited to obtain the last few trophies, mindless twin stick shooter, but enjoyable non the less

3. January 6th - Hollow Knight Voidheart Edition - PS4

• Quite possibly the best "Metrodvania" game there is, superb from start to finish.  Bring on the sequel

4. January 9th - Gun Crazy - PS4

• Played just for the platinum trophy, very easy and took about 15-20 minutes

5. January 9th - The Language of Love - PS4

• Played for the platinum, I say played, you just set the options to skip everything and the game plays itself for 3 minutes or so.  I'm ashamed 

6. January 10th - Dark Sauce - PS4

• Played for the platinum, enough said

7. January 10th - Freddy Spaghetti - PS5

• Played for the platinum, even worse I still have the PS4 version to finish

8. January 10th - Freddy Spaghetti - PS4

• Played for the platinum, enough said

9. January 11th - Bouncy Bullets - PS4

• Played for the platinum, enough said

10. January 12th - Delta Squad - PS4

• Played for the platinum, a twin stick style army shooter

11. January 13th - Memory Lane - PS4

• Played for the platinum, enough said

12. January 14th - Gravity Duck - PS4

• Played for the platinum, a gravity based puzzle game

13. January 15th - Sackboy - PS4

• Enjoyed the PS5 version so much, that I went and did it all again on the PS4, not bothering with the final time trial as is a pain in the arse

14. January 20th - Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice - PS4

• Started a few different times on both PS4 and Xbox, but never got very far.  Decided to give it another go and really enjoyed it once I decide I was going to play it all the way through.  Looking forward to the sequel now

15. January 31st - The Last of Us Part 2 - PS4

• Great game, the 2 character perspective really made a difference to the first game.  Have started a Grounded Permadeath run through, hopefully be done with that later today or tomorrow

 

February

Spoiler

 

16. February 4th - Hitman 3 - PS5

• Main Campaign story has been completed, will be playing levels again to get all the available trophies periodically

17. February 7th - Nioh Remastered Complete Edition - PS5

• Love this series, a really good upgrade and easily worth the money, all DLC completed too

18. February 19th - Resident Evil 7 -PS4

• Played through when it first came out on Xbox, but wanted to revisit before Village, completed it 3 times for the Platinum and did the No More Hero DLC too

19. February 20th - Ratchet and Clank - PS4

• Enjoyable romp through the game in preparation for the next one

20. February 28th - Nioh 2 Remastered - PS5

• Completed again and the Platinum achieved, and all DLC completed too.  Really hoping for a third game, but it will be a fair while before we see one (if ever)

 

March

Spoiler

 

21. March 2nd - Rayman Legends - PS4

• Revisited to see if I could do the final few levels, managed to mop up all the remain trophies for the Platinum whilst I was at it

22. March 17th -  WRC 9  - PS5

• Really enjoyable, shows off the Dualsense haptics really well

 

April

Spoiler

 

23. April 9th - Crash Bandicoot 4 - PS5

• Really enjoyable, some of the levels are hard as nails.  Managed to get the Platinum trophy as well

24. April 17th - Avengers - PS5

• Platinum trophy achieved.

25. April 18th - Alien Destroyer - PS4

• Another quick and easy game to play for a platinum trophy

26. April 20th - Spiderman Remastered - PS5

• Imported my PS4 save and then mopped up any missing trophies, Platinum obtained and all DLC completed

 

May

27. May 4th - It Takes Two - PS5

• Really enjoyable, played all the way through with my youngest lad and had a laugh from start to finish, got all the trophies

28. May 30th -  Resident Evil 8 Village - PS5

• Completed on the Shadow Difficulty, need to play through again to get the boss trophies as they appeared to have glitched on me

29. May 30th - Space 2 - PS4

• Played for the platinum, enough said

 

To Finish Playing Through

• Borderlands 3 - PS5
• Hades - Switch
• 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim - PS4
• Little Nightmares 2 - PS4
• Ghosts n Goblins Resurrection - Switch & PS4
• Control Ultimate Edition - PS5
• Maquette - PS5
• Assasins Creed Valhalla - PS5
• Mortal Shell Enhanced Edition - PS5
• Vigil The Longest Night - Switch
• Oddworld Soulstorm - PS5
• Zombie Army 4 - PS4
• Returnal - PS5

[instasis]

03/01: Night Slashers (Arcade)

 

Completed this in 2 player with my son. It was pretty good - probably the right side of challenging as far as Data East games go, but still full of their bullshit to harvest credits from the gullible player. Infinite credits FTW!

 

Features such classic monster characters as Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, the Mummy and...errr...Rock Person.

[RubberJohnny]

Trials: Rising - Ubisofts recent freebie giveaway. The last one was 2014, and looking this up I was baffled to see it only launched in 2019, it's so cloaked in lootboxes and microtransactions that I thought it had to be from 2016 at least. Hadn't everyone moved onto battle passes or whatever years ago? Fortnite's in it's fourth year after all. It's also surprisingly ugly for a PS4-gen title, there's a lot of visual variety in the game, but a lot that looks positively 360-era.

 

I was enjoying it enough, until near the end of the campaign, the progression is now level based, and I started to run out of stuff to do to level up enough to unlock the last few events. Until then I had thought it had the best structure - freeform with championships unlocking at the end of each act, and there's challenges which ask you to do more than just hit a time, but the grind at the end really sapped my enthusiasm.

 

It's still a solid game, and there's a good few hours enjoyment here, but it's a shame it's not a better version of itself.

[acidbearboy]

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Ages) Switch. 

First time finishing this. Never had a Mega Drive as a kid so only really remember Green Hill Zone (brilliant) and Marble Zone (meh) which I would have played on demo pods or at a friends house. I didn’t really enjoy the later levels and found the gameplay to generally be more frustrating than fun. I got one Chaos Emerald and made liberal use of save states. I was also playing in ring keep mode. On the plus side, the sound and graphics are excellent but I doubt I’ll come back to this beyond a quick blast of Green Hill Zone. I’ve since started Sonic 2 and that’s already much more enjoyable. 

[Couk]

4 minutes ago, acidbearboy said:

1. Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Ages) Switch. 

First time finishing this. Never had a Mega Drive as a kid so only really remember Green Hill Zone (brilliant) and Marble Zone (meh) which I would have played on demo pods or at a friends house. I didn’t really enjoy the later levels and found the gameplay to generally be more frustrating than fun. I got one Chaos Emerald and made liberal use of save states. I was also playing in ring keep mode. On the plus side, the sound and graphics are excellent but I doubt I’ll come back to this beyond a quick blast of Green Hill Zone. I’ve since started Sonic 2 and that’s already much more enjoyable. 

Just wait until you get to 3 & Knuckles!

[Boothjan]

1. Forza Horizon 4 - Lego Speed Champions & Fortune Island DLC packs

 

Happy New Year, mukkers.  I'm going to start this year by listing the 2 FH4 DLC packs - I know it's not techniclaly a standalone game, but it's my list and it's worthy of an inclusion.

 

Anyway - I returned to FH4 late last year and really got into it once I was used to the icon dump.  As both DLC packs were on sale, I thought I'd purchase.  My thoughts:

 

Lego Speed Champions

 

This is neat, and manages to maintain the fun aspect of the Horizon series.  The master builder quest in which you have to earn a number of Lego bricks to progress - is a cool idea, and some of the milestone targets such as race the McClaren Senna with its Lego counterpart is excellent.

 

My kids appreciated this more than the main game.  It's amazing what difference smashing plastic bricks as opposed to stone walls dotted around the English countryside can make.

 

The main drawback with this is that it's a bit flat after a while.  I'd have like to have seen a bit more innovation along the lines of the master builder quest.  Destroying Lego alien artifacts is a good idea, but for some bizarre reason, they're only accessible at certain times of day or with a particular weather pattern which is a bit annoying.

 

It's a good add on but I wouldn't say it's essential.

 

Fortune Island

 

Now THIS is more like it.  I enjoyed this much more than the Lego pack because the racing element is just such bloody good fun.  I much prefer the off road races with bulky vehicles as opposed to the speed merchant circuits, and there's tons of excellent off roading to do here.  The layout of the terrain - with a plethora of steep slopes and winding mountain paths - is a definite contrast to the main game.  And the visuals are breathtaking - seeing the Northern Lights peaking through during a thunderstorm never fails to impress.  I can't wait to see what this is like on a Series X.

 

The new content is enhanced with the treasure hunt feature - as you level up through influence points, you are given clues for the location of treasure, each containing £1m cash.  Whilst few of them are massively taxing (especially for any of you petrol heads - I had to ask assistance for correctly deducing the required car!) it's a worthwhile addition that makes this stand out a bit from the main game.

 

I can't find too much to complain about here - maybe how seldom the weather effects occur during races after the brilliant introduction when you first land on the island, but that's nitpicking somewhat. 

 

Overall

 

Fortune Island > Lego.  But both are definitely worth a look, particularly if they're still around a fiver each in the XBL sale and there are plenty of gaming hours to be had with each of them.  I have no idea how many hours I have dedicated to FH4, but it's been increased significantly with the purchase of these packs.  They make an excellent game that little bit more worthwhile, and that can't be a bad thing!

 

8.5/10

 

Ongoing:

 

Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)

Uncharted 2 (PS4)

Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)

[shirubagan]

Let's see how this goes. Last year was awful.

1. Alba (Apple Arcade)
UsTwo's latest is a sweet little game with a strong environmental message. The fact they've planted 100,000+ trees to back that up is something everyone should learn from and adopt. The fact that I, like Alba, would spend summers in Spain as a kid resonated with me on a personal level too. Couldn't find that last fucking bird though, could I?

[FiveFootNinja]

Thanks @shirubagan. I'm planning on getting Apple Arcade this month to try Little Orpheus, The Last Campfire and The Pathless so will put this on the list too. I've liked UsTwo's games previously (and actually met some of their studio too and they are a really nice bunch).

[Talvalin]

I completely failed to keep track of my games last year (although I could go back and take a punt based on achievements won but fuck it, that was last year man). For some reason I decided to abandon a bunch of games I'd been enjoying to play Skyrim for reasons. Anyway.

 

Ongoing (all Xbox One)

• Skyrim (if I stick at this, I won't be completing anything until March)
• Dead Cells
• Shadow of Mordor
• Gears Tactics
• Streets of Rage IV
• Soulcalibur VI
• DOOM Eternal

[BadgerFarmer]

1. Kentucky Route Zero
What do you say about this? Probably loads once you really get going, but no time for that now. The best brief thing to say is that it's not like anything else I've played before. I mean, it's not a game, is it, or even a walking sim? More like an interactive theatrical production, but also a bit like a novel due to all the text. It's fascinating, and not just for being weird, which it definitely is, but for being properly surreal in a way that brings out the strangeness of everyday (American) lives. And for being playful with your perspective and your role, ensuring that you're always taking part in the story, not just a spectator, even when there's not really much to do.

I did think it was a bit too stretched out though, especially in parts 3 and 4. Not enough to break up the endless conversations, no matter how well written they are. But even then, it's interesting to think about that in terms of how the game branched out over time between episodes and got more ambitious. I think it would have been a different experience again to play it in pieces, as originally intended.