First two down.

1. Back to the Future: The Game - 30th Anniversary Edition
16th December - 6th January
If I could go back in time, I probably wouldn't have started this game.  Remember the inspiring, energetic, exciting and humorous 1985 film original?  This game cannot be described the same, and I wonder why this needed the Telltale treatment.  Such an odd fit to take the BttF concept and boil it down into these five meandering, dull episodes of fetch quests and conversations.  Meant as a follow on from the trilogy, the references in the titter free script only serve to remind you of the superiority of the films.  I don't like to wail on games and always like to find some positives but I struggled with most aspects of this. 4

2. What Remains of Edith Finch
6th January - 7th January
The tragic tale of the Finch family, each member's fate played out in vignettes uncovered as you play as Edith, exploring the old family home after an absence.  Such a wonderfully inventive, imaginative and creative game.  The house has a starring role, the nooks and crannies, the way you work your way through the house itself, the level of detail almost overwhelming at times.  Such is your desire to take it all in, the information you don't want to miss.  Despite the tragedy, I never felt too mournful until the end, each story unfurls but is dealt with so creatively as if to distract you from the impending doom.  I almost wish the game had sought to wring more solemn emotions from me as in Gone Home or Life is Strange, but I couldn't fault the level of imagination on show, in particularly the later stories.  Great storytelling, with maybe a few issues spread across the tales that you could object to, but otherwise excellent. 9

1. Steamworld Dig 2 - Switch

I only played the first game late last year, which I'd been deliberately avoiding for ages.  I did the first one on Vita, but I'm glad I caved in and bought this on Switch as I took my time with it at home, instead of racing through in 28 minute bursts (my commute).  End game clock said 8hrs+, which is roughly double the time I spent with Dig.  I'm probably done, but you never know.  They've done away with the procedurally generated stuff, which makes for a tighter quest but also loses a smidge of something.  This is a superior game, but only just, and I'd still recommend the first to anyone who may have started with this.  It's also far easier than the original - I died less, losing less money en route to the credits and rarely had to break a sweat during a nail-biting ascent to cash my stash.  Mining isn't such a risky business in this, and you're never too far from a warp.  The plentiful secrets are handled better though, and the new perks/Metroidy abilities are all welcome.  The music is memorable too.  I'm reluctant to give it a [9], because I don't think it is, quite, but I'm still placing it higher than a couple of 9's on my GotY list as I just loved playing it.  I'm gutted it's finished and wish the mine went on for an extra few miles. [8] 

2. Robonauts - Switch

Not quite appalling, but definitely the worst game I've paid for in a few years.  Glad I dodged a bullet at £13 or whatever the non sale price is, but even at 50% off this is just annoying me on the dashboard now.  It should work, a trailer might suggest it all works, but the shooting is hugely unsatisfying, jumping is terrible and the lock-on system is borked.  This might be enjoyable in co-op, but as a solo experience it's drastically meh.  It's a decent idea, but the fact that such an accidentally imprecise shooter exists in the same generation as Nex Machina (and launched at the same price) is laughable.  It only has twelve stages too - thank fuck - all of which are under 5 mins long if you get it right.  [4]

3. Halo Wars 2 - Xbox One

I've only played one RTS before this, when I rented Command and Conquer on Saturn, but I've been pushing myself to try different things recently, chiefly thanks to these threads, and this didn't work out too badly for me.  Getting the complaints out the way first, as usual: it's pretty glitchy and below what I'd consider acceptable as a flagship HALO exclusive, spin off or not.  I was kicked to the menu half a dozen times, and things liked to pop-in long after they should've been visible from time to time.  I think it's fair to say the engine is sub standard for one of the few first party efforts the Bone offers, plus it's all bunched up even when zoomed out to the max.  I spent the whole game wishing it'd let me see another 30% of the map, if you've got a decent sized base it takes up the whole sodding screen.  The visuals are functional, but definitely lacking spit, polish and sheen. Plus there was a fair bit of I FUCKING SAID DO THAT, WHY ARE YOU JUST SITTING THERE, so I never felt completely trusting of the RTS systems/squad obedience.

Good bits, then: It's additive.  For laymans base building and resource management I think it does a pretty good job, albeit (from memory) not much better than the original C&C.  The cut-scenes deserve a special mention; they're outstanding.  I went off pre-rendered storytelling bits in games yonks ago, vastly preferring everything to be told in-engine, but the CGI bits here are stunning.  

Solid overall, nothing special but presumably great as a 1v1 online game and a bold second gamble with the franchise, given the leap from FPS to RTS. [6].  

4. Undertale - Vita

I hated this.  Very good script aside, there was barely a moment during the quest that I didn't want it to end.  A perfect reminder that I should still give certain genres a wide berth.  The realtime battle system is an utterly fantastic idea botched to fuck by numerous attacks that are just going to hit you anyway as you steer your heart around a stupidly tiny box.  So incredibly dull; all you do is plod around aimlessly until you've run out of wrong turns, suffering random battles that are unenjoyable whether you kill or spare the monsters.  I absolutely cannot fathom how this is sitting so pretty on Metacritic. [3]

5. Sine Mora EX - Switch

I had this on 360 but only played the first couple of levels and gave my console away before mopping up the last few stragglers.  Mario Kart 8 aside, this may be the only time I've paid to 'double dip' on a non retro game - I'd always assumed it was great, so grabbed the cart for the rerelease.  It turns out it wasn't really worthy of deliberate double dippage - it's pretty average all told. Graphics are decent, but the slowdown gimmick isn't very well used and it felt like - during one quick playthrough, admittedly - just a serviceable shooter masquerading as something deeper.  The progression system is okay, it has a sort of arcade racer style checkpoint thing that works well enough, but the meat and potatoes is nothing to write home about.  It/I can't work out if if wants to be a standard shmup or a bullet hell thing; I'm not particularly good at these games but there were plenty of 'oh fuck off' moments as I was hemmed in by unavoidable waves of multicoloured projectiles. Decent enough I suppose, but I'll be getting rid shortly.  It's not quite as good as Astebreed, for example.    [6]

6. Azure Striker Gunvolt - 3DS

Fantastic run and gun with excellent main stages and deadgood bosses.  If this had been released on Saturn in 1997 without being ported to PAL territories its merits would still be shouted from the rafters online, yet this seems to have come and gone with little fanfare.  Initially it felt quite basic - no duck, no diagonal firing - but bear with it, it has layers.  Definitely one of the best games of its type I've played for years.  I only dropped my 9 to an 8 because the final boss pwned me for two days, forcing me to mop up EXP elsewhere.  Already itching for the sequel (also boughted), so I doubt I'll play as much in between as I originally planned. [8]
 
7. Stickbold! A Dodgeball Adventure - PS4

A bit of a shame, this one.  I wanted to like it, and it was reasonably good I suppose, but it felt like a missed opportunity that a few tweaks could've improved dramatically.  It probably works far better in co-op as the AI buddy was the main source of annoyance (do I have a manual pass button or not?).  Plus the actual dodgeballing didn't feel as good as the stages where you tackle a boss.  Strip away the window dressing it's just a sloppy twin stick shooter, but for £2.79 I can't complain too much, a smattering of fun was had.  It could've been a cracker though.  [5]

8. AQUA KITTY Milk Mine Defender DX - Vita

Smashing little Defender update.  Pretty basic, which is a tick in the plus column in this instance.  Protect the miners, kill the baddies.  Satisfying shooting, good sounds, nice look and perfectly pitched difficulty.  There's nothing to dislike, I had three days of frutrafun with it, so it's a [9] from me.

9. The Unfinished Swan - Vita

Lovely game.  As mentioned elsewhere, this would be my pick for best looking title on the Vita.  Striking and crisp.  I thought it started magnificently, suffered a lull when it added the spreading vines, then gradually pulled it back before ending with one of the most memorable credits sequences I've played.  Original, charming, intriguing and memorable, but not quite great.  [7]

10. Volgarr the Viking - Vita

Raawwwwgh.  Put off buying it in a Switch sale for £4.49, tried to wait for it to appear in a PSN sale but couldn't do it.  I needed it, I bought it, I loved it.  It's a mean old throwback hack 'n slash, emphasis on the meanness.  Moveset is limited but absolutely perfect - attack, crouch attack, downwards jumping attack, spin jump, roll, spear, heavy spear after an item boost.  You can also use spears as platforms once they're stuck in a wall.  That's it.  6 levels with a checkpoint midway, each with a solid boss.  It'd be a fantastic game to speedrun and anyone who likes the learn 'em up nu retro titles and remembers Rastan with fondness should grab this asap.  It even has a viking metal song in the credits.  [8]

11. Resogun - Vita

I liked and admired this, but never loved it.  I'm only reviewing a quick blast through, but if I play it again to appreciate the depth it'll be in full PS4 glory.   I particularly liked the ability to lob humans into the bases. Clearly fantastic, handheld port does all the right things well enough, but I prefer Aqua Kitty because I'm a weirdo.  [7]  Don't panic!  That's the Vita version.  Big Brother would be an 8, minimum.

12. A Night in the Woods - PS4

A 2D small town angst simulator, half point and click minus puzzles, half walking sim without the first person view.  Bundles of atmosphere, a few excellent characters and a smattering of genuine lols.  The actual mystery turned out to be a bit naff, but the day-to-day teenage kicks are fine.  A few moments fall flat but some are really nice done.  Glad I played it.  CRIMES! *Greggarms*  [7]

13. DOOM - PS4

I was astounded by how good this was.  It's everything I want from a FPS and I didn't even know it - I just thought I'd gone off the genre.  All the fundamentals are rock solid, and it's so beautifully arcade-like in its fast paced room clearance shtick is it's a joy to rinse/repeat the basics.  It suits standard difficulty, I doubt it'd be a waste of time on easy, and the tougher settings are appealing - much like Halo, this is a FPS that could withstand being played on the hardest setting, unlike stuff like COD and Battlefield that just become churlish and chore-like.  The rune tests are good, the multiplayer is great (I played a match online!), it looks stunning, the weapons are fun - only the pistol seemed completely redundant - it's smooth, none of the enemies are cunts, the nostalgic nods are well handled and every nuance of the combat works.  If there was a cheat code to make the whole thing 20% even faster it'd still work, that's how good it is.  The melee regen thing at the centre of everything is spot on, and I spent the latter half of the game surviving by the skin of my teeth and loving the rush of success.  The campaign and the load times are too long, but without those minor blemishes I think there would've been a faint suggestion of a 10 from me.  I'd definitely pay attention to a review that had a perfect score attached, because it's nearly there.  Easily one of the best games released in recent years and probably the most satisfying single player FPS campaign I've played since Halo:CE did its console game changer thing.  If anyone hasn't played it and wants an old school yet mega snazzy move-twitch-shoot FPS, DOOM doesn't fuck about.  Brilliaaaant.  [9]

14. Uncharted: The Golden Abyss - Vita

The only Uncharted I hadn't played, and also the only full-sized Vita game I've played for more than an hour.  It's undeniably impressive for a handheld title, but as a sort of semi-skimmed full fat experience, it's not really what I wanted from an on-the-go game.  The over-reliance on touch and tilt is extremely of its time already, and also fairly annoying.  Balancing on every log to avoid falling is just dumb - no-one enjoys shoehorned stuff like that, surely?  The charcoal rubbing is fine, but give the choice of 'rub screen with finger' or 'press X once to make Drake do all the rubbing', I'd go for the latter.  It's also occasionally hard to see where you're supposed to go, which isn't a problem I remember having with the main games.  The destruction/chase/escape scenes have always been part of the whole shebang, but they've always been fairly shit.  Into-the-screen always felt like a clinger-on from Bandicoot, but it's so bombastic on a big screen it kinda almost worked.  It's more obvious that they're a bit crap here anyway, partly because it seems easier to die during those sequences.  

It seems a shame to be so down on it, because it's doing some good things, but for every gunfight I enjoyed there were three occasions where I was forced to swipe the screen with my finger to avoid instant death.  I'm not sure I died more than once from failing, but it didn't make the constant requirement any less annoying.   The script is also slightly wonky.  Love or hate the dialogue in Uncharted, it's generally more solid and polished than this.  It's still miles better than most gun games with cut scenes though.  [6].  Any lower would be a bit mean, but in hindsight I wish I'd stopped after playing the mainline entries + Lost Legacy.

15. Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 - 3DS

Quality sequel.  I wasn't keen on the new character unfortunately, so I doubt I'll play his (all new, from what I saw) campaign, but I'm happy to settle for the lazyman's one-story finish.  It was more of the same when using Gunvolt, which is what I wanted, and Copen's stages are probably decent once you get the hang of his moveset.  Maybe I'll go back.

Tidy level design and excellent bosses, looks great, sound is fit for purpose and there's replayability here if you want it with the challenges and unlocks.  It seemed easier than the original, but maybe I'm a dab hand these days.  Ridiculously good for the £4.33 it cost me.  If the double pack wasn't £35 or whatever it is on Switch I'd be recommending them to any badger within earshot.  [8]

16. Shadow of the Colossus - PS4

Finished it then.  I still hate the controls (on and off the horse), I still hate the cumbersome tit of a main character (woah, woah!! Leeedge!), I still hate the last boss, I still hate the randomness of the readying-arm-for-strike thing, I still hate the fact that your character has a lie down here and there after taking a hit, and I still hate all of the in between boss bits.  But I still really like the game, in spite of all my grievances.  At times its Ueda's best - honestly, the best bits are among the finest sections in all of videogamedom - but when it misfires its his worst.  A harsh [7], dropped a point thanks to the final colossus.

17. Counterspy - Vita

A great idea slightly bodged, but still fun to whizz through.  Could've been so much more, but I'm glad I played it.  You can get the hang of things but it's so easy to clatter your way through I'm not sure it's worth it.  The gameplay lacks finesse and the cover system needed reworking, but it's mostly passable/pretty good.  An enjoyable enough mix of 2D stealth and 3D shooting sections - head shots are always solid, and stuff like making officers surrender to lower the threat level is a nice idea.  I've seen it compared to Shadow Complex but I liked it more than what I played of that.  It's more like Mark of the Ninja and Bonanza Bros had a child with mild dyspraxia. [6]

18. Octodad: The Dadliest Catch - PS4

Nope, never played anything like this.  It can be frustrating to get through certain sections because of the controls, but that actually works in its favour.  Sort of like what everyone says about the occasional shortcomings in Ueda's games, but not bollocks.  Short, amusing and varied throughout.  Eight thumbs up, well worth three squid. [7]

19. Wonderboy III: The Dragon's Trap HD - Switch

I admired this as a kid, but was never keen on all the wandering around, so the A-B Monsterland was my Wonderboy.  It still is, but I hugely appreciated no.III this time around.  A clever, tightly designed gem of a game, genuinely one of the 8-bit worldies.  I'm a big fan of the makeover and the simplistic walk 'n slash still works a treat.  2-3hrs of deftly handled nostalgic joy.  Gonna go big with a [9], any less would be disrespectful to the original achievement.

20. Golf Story - Switch

A delight.  The script makes it, but the golfing is decent.  I lapped up the contrived tasks all the way through, so as proven by Mario Golf on GBA, I can happily play an RPG if it has a three snap instead of a (random) battle system.  Almost all of the diversions were welcome too, I particularly enjoyed the disc throwing.  Plenty of great characters/quirky dialogue, with some well handled variation in tasks.  A massive success overall.  [8].

21. Kirby All Star Allies - Switch

I can't decide if this is a terrible platformer with a sledgehammer charm aesthetic, or a perfect co-op game for families with young children.  I'll settle for a bit of both - it's a  passable experience that can be elevated to greatness depending on how you experience it.  There are highlights to the proceedings, but overall the levels maintain a 'meh' average.  Anyone expecting a precise jumpmans will be bitterly disappointed, it's a floaty, wafty, breezy thing with dozens of controllable buddies that range from all-powerful to the equivalent of 'oh no, not the water magic'.  Why can the friends float by flapping their legs?  Dunno, next question.  Was it a lot of fun to play with a transfixed 3yr old at the helm?  Yes.  But also no, when she stole my powers on a whim, as is Kirby's wont.  Huff.  

The niceometer is off the chart, and it plays a stronk secret/collectibles game, but I wouldn't call it a genuinely good game by a fair distance - certainly not for the £40 it'll be for the next...well, indefinitely.  If you're thinking of picking this up for a solo run my advice would be don't, but it'd be worth a buy and sell for co-op, especially with little'uns.  [5] as a sp game, [6] as a co-op game, [8] for the co-op with a very young child.  So final answer: [6].  Not my cup of tea, but a fairly good effort, target audience considered.  I wasn't taken with the visuals though, it's a bit basic compared to Nintendo's best efforts across their last couple of home consoles.  Nowhere near as lush as DKC:TF or Toad, for example, despite the sheen.  One more thought: the minigames are one-off-the-wrist levels of laziness, poor show.

22. 10 Second Run Returns - Switch

N+ meets Bike Rider DX via 10 Second Ninja.  Got this for £3.88, and it was probably just about worth it for the tabletop mode/4p split screen at some point, which is almost guaranteed to be fun for a while.  The main challenges are a cinch to three star within 10 seconds (okay, the final two I just finished), and although there are extra stages the credits rolled after half an hour or so.  Still, they all count.  Nothing remarkable here though, it's the sort of thing that used to pop up on the 3DS EShop. [5]

23. The Mummy Demastered - Switch

I didn't hate it in the end, but it's not a good game.  It suffers from plenty of odd hang-ups from its era of inspiration - flying creatures knocking you character back being the most infuriating considering the poor jump controls.  It's very much Metroid by numbers, but offers an uninspired world and wotevs selection of suit perks to progress.  Graphics are lovely, it's doing a nifty looking matte/pastel thing, so it's generally pretty lush visually.  Sound was just kinda there, nothing special.  I enjoyed most of the bosses, but hated the find-your-corpse loot gathering after every death.  It took me 4.5hrs to reach the credits, with the map stat resting on 77% progression.  Again, it's not awful, but with so many better games around even though I considered going a point higher it's only worthy of a [5].

24. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - PS4

I was interested in this until the Edge [5] took the wind out of my sails.  I never played Heavenly Sword, but I did enjoy Enslaved, which struck me as a Beyond Good & Evil type deal, in that it was such a likeable effort fans allowed themselves to mistake its charms for greatness.  I was prepared to back Hellblade at launch because the double A triple A digital download thing is a terrific idea imo - I've been championing a mid-tier pricepoint for non kitchen sink, modernised throwback gaming for ages.  Up with this sort of thing.  Anyway, as mentioned the Edge review was enough put me off until it started creeping into various GotY lists, while creeping down in price.  I grabbed it at £15.99, which is bargain territory if the slightly odd backwards thinking gameplay clicks.  Anyone who craves the possibilities offered by a Horizon: Zero Dawn should steer clear, unless they're fully prepared for a game that offers pretty much zero possibilities for anything other than the rinse/repeat nature of puzzle-fight-puzzle-fight progression.  I'll applaud Ninja Theories' attempts at taking puzzle solving in an unusual direction, but it'd just be a polite golf clap as it doesn't quite work.  The fun drains away pretty quickly when you find yourself shape matching for the 6th time in 20 minutes.  The fight system is also an acquired taste, but something I definitely appreciated.  Don't expect Bayonetta, or even God of War.  Or even Conan on 360.  It's a hefty, slow paced chunky hack 'n slasher, but light/heavy attacks, dodge, slow-mo, guard break and run are pretty much the limits of your abilities.  The fights are usually brief so by the end the simplicity isn't quite over-milked, but it wasn't far off and I could see some people absolutely despising the combat.  I thought it was great, but I don't mind repetition in games if I enjoy what I'm doing.  

*Spoilers ahead*
*/end spoilers*

The inner voices/split personalities thing is well done to a point, but the whole thing is pretty heavy handed so just about everything ends just as it threatens to outstay its welcome.  There's about 5-6hrs of game here.  I didn't want more but I wouldn't have wanted less.

There's more to say - visuals and audio are striking - but this review's a bit windy already, so I'll recommend it to anyone who enjoyed something like Ryse or The Order and occasionally finds themselves dreading the 35hr runtime of the next big thing.  Definitely the strongest [7] I've played for years, but not for everyone.

25. Superhot - PS4

SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT SUPER HOT [0][1][0][1][1][0][1][0][0][0][9]

26. Rollers of the Realm - Vita

A smorgasbord of genuinely great ideas crammed into a package that on the whole, doesn't do them justice.  A pinball RPG that gets plenty of things right - hold a ball on a flipper to change characters, revive downed heroes if you keep your healer alive, multiball allies, multiple routes, bosses and even a rudimentary levelling system - but forgets to provide a decent action on the actual pinballing.  Take the ideas out and you're left with a piss tier base game (there's an arena mode that'll never get played), but oddly enough there's still a lot to admire.  Another case of if only, but I'll give it a [6] anyway; it's about as enjoyable as an admittedly crap game can be in this day and age.  It was £1.79 too, so if anyone fancies a 4-5hr quest starring pinball wizards, knights and squires, I'd still just about recommend it.

27. Hitman Go: Definitive Edition - Vita

My first Hitman game.  Not sure it's indicative of what to expect from the mainline entries, but I definitely enjoyed it.  Route planning and idea execution, trial and error etc, with enemies moving along a prescribed path.  For most of the game only real challenge is to bag enough extra objectives to progress, but there's certainly an appeal to the gentle puzzling - in fact, when it did become a bit more of a head scratcher towards the end, I wasn't quite so keen.  An excellent portable game though, perhaps the definitive edition stretched the ideas a touch too thin, but £1.69 very well spent.  I'll be playing the Tomb Raider entry when I'm ready for more of the same. [7]

28. Celeste - Switch

Not sure where to start with this one, it's an absolutely wonderful platformer.  It's been designed to within an inch of its life, and perfectly so, but it's testament to the mechanics that I'd happily play a randomly generated sequel - that's how strong the movement is.  Definitely my favourite game this gen, and firmly in my top 5 of all time.  When I started playing I mused that Matt Makes Games may have followed the best multiplayer game of last decade (Towerfall Ascension) with the best single player game of the last decade, and unusually for me, I was bloody right.  [9]

29. Momonga Pinball Adventures

£1.69 in the sale, a level/challenge based pinball adventure.  Was all over bar the shouting within an hour unfortunately, but I had fun and the price is right.  Hardly set the world alight, was frustrating in places (natch), and felt like a third of the game it should've been, but I can't really knock it for the price of one and a half goes at a proper pinball table. [7]

30. The Last Days of June - PS4

*Most basic spoilers ahead - trailer stuff* A butterfly effect bereavement sim, and a rather pleasant experience from start to finish.  Very gentle, quite touching and rarely heavy handed.  It'd be rude to reveal any more, as like most of these games the less you know going in the better.  Not quite Finch, but maybe a branch or two below, alongside Firewatch.  Good as it is, in all honesty £15.99 would've been hard to swallow, but these games are perfect sale purchases - currently £5.79 on PSN, anyone with a passing interest should bite their hand off.  [7]

31. Snake Pass - Switch

A genuinely original control scheme - that whilst being a tough irritating at times, does work - is the beating heart of this slow paced puzzler.  It's slightly imprecise, but they've pulled off what they set out to achieve.  I'm not sure I'd have the patience for the collectibles, but when do I ever?  Progression boils down to key finding, but going through the motions is fun because there's nothing quite like it.  The levels seem quite well designed, but hold a mirror up to them and they're merely functional assault courses limited by the lack of character actions.  Not really a criticism - they're definitely fit for purpose, anything more intricate and the game would've become boring very quickly.  A successful balancing act for sure.  Also, it definitely hit a sweet spot with its difficulty; despite frustrations along the way things only really get noticeably tough in the final couple of stages.  Top quality stuff, looks fantastic too - pats on the back for the Switch port. [8]

32. Blue Estate - PS4

An old school lightgun game, minus the gun.  Wait, come back - it's still more enjoyable than playing an actual old school lightgun game with a pad, thanks to the surprisingly not that wonky gyro cotrols.  Levels are just shooting gallery processions, but that's the genre.  It mixes things up as much as you might expect.  Humour falls flat, and is pretty relentless, but play it with Spotify blaring and it's a blast.  Level quality is all over the place (the first stage is strong AF, file under 'ran out of budget' perhaps), as is the difficulty, and having to replay a half hour section if you run out of continues is oooooft, but it still emerges with a guns blazing high [6].  It goes for £3-4 fairly regularly on PSN, and it's a good laugh in two player.  Check it out chaps, they don't make 'em like this any more.

33. Shank 2 - Xbox 360 (played on Bone)

Three times I've started this.  Finally stuck to the task this morning.  It's a very good game (from the same era, think Comic Jumper meets The Dishwasher), but the decision to map the roll dodge to the right stick - and not allow customisable controls - means it consistently punches below its weight.  You attack/fire with the face buttons, which you'll be pressing when tackling a baddie, so expecting you to remove your thumb from the task at hand to react to a sudden attack with dodge is just plain silly, and constantly pisses on the games chips.  I can only assume it was a conscious decision to make the game trickier, as it'd be far easier if the dodge button was in a sensible place.  Whatever the reason, it's laaame. The counter attack is a bit odd too, mainly because it seemed to offer the prompt at random, but at least they were courteous enough to place that on a trigger button.  

Without the control issue, it'd be a more than solid [8], but I've got to go [6] as it was on my mind for the entire campaign.  I didn't play the original, but I did read that they dropped campaign co-op from the sequel, which is a classic Dick Move.

34. Iconoclasts - Vita

Wow.  I went in expecting a 3-4hr indie romp and found myself working  through one of the most epic 2D games I've ever played.  It took me nearly 14hrs to finish, and I found less than half of the items.  If you told me this was a Treasure title I wouldn't bat an eyelid, it feels like the Saturn game they never made.  It sits at the very light end of Metroidvania types; you revisit areas but exploration is minimal - usually if you're in a section you head for the question mark and won't get lost along the way.  The running and gunning isn't exceptional, nor are the puzzles in fairness, but both are high quality, and the whole thing just oozes character and class.  There's a section early on where you sneak past a crowd, but to avoid detection must only move when the crowd is laughing at jokes being told by a raconteur.  It's a lovely couple of screens, but the fact that the lines of dialogue start to repeat just before you reach the far side of the room works as a neat way to sum the game up as a whole - it's so very nearly wonderful with a couple of forgivable indiscretions.  The script is great, the story is actually kinda gripping, it sounds superb, it looks fantastic in places, it does a hell of a lot with the limited weapons/moveset in terms of variation/puzzle solving, and some of the bosses are the toppest of tiers.  It's not a tough game, but it does keep you on your toes throughout.  As high an [8] as [8] can be.

35. Lone Survivor: Director's Cut - Vita

Aha, so who's the numpty that thought mirrors were a one way trip until the home stretch?  Dis guy.  Not my cup of tea this one, as mentioned elsewhere, survival horror isn't my pyramid bag - however! - I ended up enjoying it despite an aversion to the genre.  It's not a long game, so I was fine with the way the player has to chip away at it before returning to bed to recharge, and despite undeniably wonky shooting mechanics it was mostly enjoyable to survive & explore.  I got what I presume is the bad ending (red), and won't be replaying, but I am intrigued enough to Youtube alternative endings.  Other things I liked: the post credits checklist, 'had a blue dream' from the checklist (lol), the way the main character's mouth mask looks like a unhinged grin when he's hiding, some of the subtle humour - arcade machine section was a highlight - and the Lynchian pill dreams.  I didn't like the gunplay, as mentioned, but the game's not really about that.  I'd be lying if I went higher than a [6], apologies @fullspectrum and fam, but that's a genuine thumbs up for something I had no business enjoying as I tend to hide from survival horror.

36. Furi - PS4

So very nearly.  It's a good game, but not quite as good as it a) could've been or b) has the chops to be.  I definitely enjoyed my time with it, but the difficulty is all over the place (the final two bosses took around half an hour to dispatch in total, which is too much of a drop off from the 90 mins it took to beat the third to be blamed on my l33t skillage).  Also, the way it handles retries gets a finger wag from me.  The controls are spot on other than a non instant invulnerability on the dash, which was clearly intentional but I don't see why.  Graphics were nifty, tunes were great, some of the boss design was super tight and I bet it's a speedrunner's delight.  It's a mega solid [7] that's a hair's breath from an [8] but should've been a [9], much like Titan Souls.  Probably one of the highlights of PS4 PS+ for me so far, despite the slight tinge of disappointment.

37. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - Switch

Played through in co-op, for a second time.  The Funky Kong additions were just about enough to keep a 3yr old interested throughout - I only lost her completely for the last three or four stages (and she was back for the final boss).  I still think it's one of the very best 2D platformers of all time, I still think the minecart sections are just about the best thing ever and I still think that for a game this tight in terms of design/control/challenge the devs did an admirable job making the two player mode just as good as a solo run.  Only the underwater sections fall a wee bit flat, but don't they always?  The weighty platforming mechanics are sound, but the way the level design brings out the best in them deserves a standing ovation.  Glad they rereleased this, especially as I never owned it on Wii U.  For my money it's better than Breath of the Wild, and therefore easily one of the best 'exclusives' on Switch.  [9]

38. Hotline Miami 2 - Vita

After the initial disappointment of a noticeable drop-off in quality from the first game I managed to suck it up and settle in.  The core game is still superb, but the attempt to polish it took the shine off and nothing stuck when they tried to roll it in glitter.  In particular, the dual character section is laughably poor.  It's still addictive AS HELL, it still sounds absolutely banging - even moreso than the hugely banging original - and the majority of the game still works very, very well.  Level design is weaker overall, which coupled with the other missteps does bring it all the way down to a [7], but after putting it off for ages (and unistalling it twice) I'm now glad I played it.  Not a patch on he first but pretty good in its own right.  In film terms, it's bobbing around the Jaws 2 mark.

39. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon - Vita

A well made retro romp that does nothing fancy yet achieves its goal.  It's The Shinning to The Shining, if the homage surpassed its inspiration.  I've not given the 8-bit Castlevania games much time, but I'm still gonna stick my neck out and bet that this is better if you strip away the rose tint veneer.  Surprisingly not-too-tough, this is also at the easier end of the retro redo's.  Music could've been more memorable, but there are at least three strong tunes in there.  A bit short, but hey - that's how they were back then.  A solid [6] for being one of the most faithful nu retro games around.

40. Mother Russia Bleeds - PS4

Throwback scrolling beat 'em up that gradually reveals itself to be a top effort.  There's a nice rhythm to it once you get your dash/grab game sorted, plus it has one or two extra abilities that work quite well.  It's typical Devolver; pixel faces are mashed into gaping pulpy holes, eyeballs pop out, multiple latex gimps frequent the of-course-they-did fetish club level and one of the character shits in his hand to throw turds at enemies if you press R3.  It all works in a brutally OTT *MEANWHILE IN RUSSIA, LOL* kind of way though.  Graphics are appealing, sound is fine (tunes were doing their thing, but weren't memorable), bosses aren't bad either, and the checkpoints are mercifully placed.  It's perfectly serviceable solo and jolly good fun with 4 players.  For the £3 I paid, which is roughly how much it always seems to cost as it appears in almost every PSN sale, I'm gonna go with a generous [8].  Better than the vast majority of the Final Fight clones that inspired it - also plays a better brawler than Castle Crashers and the like - but it's no SOR2.

41. Yoku's Island Express - Switch

Another 2D Metroidvania under my belt, albeit an unusual one.  In two years it's gone from a genre I've managed to almost completely avoid to one of my favourites.  I've had high hopes for this one since the reveal, but recent examples of pinball crossovers have ended up as enjoyable missed opportunities (Rollers of the Realm and Momonga).  Turns out Yoku's probably an even better game than I'd hoped for, it's genuinely one of the best genre marriages I've ever played.  Take a Metroidvania, with a liberal dose of Ori in the visuals, add more pleasantries (think Ori's Island maybe), but add the mechanics of a pinball game for tasks and routefinding.  You'll move left and right on solid ground, but there are flippers everywhere so you're not in direct control just as often as you are.  Everything they've done with abilities and puzzles worked for me, and despite erring on the 'very easy' side overall progression is gradual and unforced.  Unlike some other examples of the genre you don't feel buffeted from progression task to progression task - I have no problem with that approach btw, but this one makes you feel like your working under your own steam, without oppression I get from being left to my own devices in a huge environment.  It's been described as short, but it took me 5-6hrs for a 59% completion, and it's another game that's helped me reevaluate when I'll pay for indies.  I've waited for sales since the 360 days, with probably less than ten exceptions, but I'm starting to feel like it's time to change my ways (especially as games take longer to reach the magical 50% off biting point these days, even on PSN).  This has been a massively unfocused review, but Yoku is honestly one of the loveliest videogames I've ever played.  I love a bit of pinball these days (used to hate that too) and I'm a recent Metroidy convert, and as this is an exceptionally good blend of the two I'll give it a [9].  After Celeste it's the 2018 game to beat so far, looking back over my list.

41. Ultimate NES Remix - 3DS

I'm not sure if this is NES Remix 1 & 2 combined (Wii U), or a Best Of compilation.  Seems to be the beefiest version though, plenty of games to choose from.  Not being much of an old school Nintendo aficionado many of these were new to me, and it's a mixed bag for unfamiliar players.  A quick round-up then, for fresh eyes:

Balloon Fight - Played this, better suited for two players but it's decent, and a good fit for the bitesize challenges.
Donkey Kong - Never really liked this one, I find it quite irritating. 
Donkey Kong Jr. - An odd one that feels like a deluxe LCD game.  Would've played it to death in the late 80s, but it's not particularly good.
Dr. Mario - Not a fan of block puzzle games and an 8-bit effort was never likely to change my mind.  My least favourite game on the collection.  
Excitebike - Fun, but very limited.  I haven't played the Master System port of Enduro Racer, but from memory it's not too dissimilar in terms of quality.  
Kid Icarus - Tough in a typical early 8-bit way.  The challenges for this one were quite varied, but it just seemed 'pretty good' rather than anything truly special. 
Kirby's Adventure - Lovely gwffx for a NES game.  Pretty much the Kirby experience I've come to expect from the two I've played (3DS and Switch) - charming but imprecise and fairly simplistic.
Mario Bros. - Never liked this one, Mazza controls like a tank. 
Metroid - Obviously breaking new ground in plenty of admirable ways, but Samus doesn't jump or shoot particularly well - floating around an getting knocked into lava it's annoying to jump out of - much like Super Metroid for me.  A perfect example of a game that would've been incredible in 1986, but kinda isn't any more. 
Punch-Out!! - One of my favourite NES games, big fan of all the home Punch-Out titles.  Suits the Remix challenges perfectly.  One of the best interactive Simon Says experiences ever.  
Super Mario Bros. - An undeniable classic, but I've always struggled with the inertia in 2D Mario.  I'm the one that's broken though.  Apart from the 1-up shell challenge in this - that's broken.
Super Mario Bros. The Lost levels.  See above.
Super Mario Bros. 2.  Obviously not as good as the bona fide mainline efforts, but definitely a decent 8-bit platformer. 
Super Mario Bros. 3.  Refined to near perfection.  I once played this for a whole weekend on a caravan holiday after swapping my MS for a NES with the Nintards in an adjacent caravan.  Beyond jealous, not a bad swap for the likes of Quartet and Great Basketball.  
The Legend of Zelda.  Another case of wow for what it was doing, meh for how it plays.  Quality but dated. 
Zelda 2: The Adventures of Link.  Enjoyed this, wasn't convinced at first but it plays a solid hack ' slash game.

All in all a quality collection, and the way you're asked to approach even the iffiest games works in context.  I was hoping for more of this from Nintendo but they seem to have dropped it.  SNES Remix would be great, Sega Remix would be better.  The star system seems borked as it's remarkably easy to get the rainbox/platinum equivalent on many of the stages, but that's a minor quibble.  [8]

42. Shantae & The Pirate's Curse - 3DS

Unexpected extra, only booted up again as I finished NES Remix on the way to work yesterday.  I gave up on this a couple of years ago after I realised the final island was locked behind a collectaquest.  Turns out I wasn't paying attention as the final boss was elsewhere and I just had one more section to go.  I'm counting it though, 'cos its my list and I've finally got something to show for the 9hrs I played it.  

I was disappointed with it overall, as a halfway house between a Wonderboy game and a Metroidvania it should've been right up my alley, but it falls well short of the best examples of both.  Not a bad game - would've been a cracking 32-bit hidden gem - but nothing special all told.  [6], but only because I'm feeling generous.

43. Burly Men at Sea - Vita

A very pleasant multi-strand adventure.  Guide your heroes through multiple paths and return to the spot where you started to go again.  Each playthrough takes 10 minutes or so, and the only 'challenge' as such is trying to figure out where the paths branch off.  It's all very laid back, and it does its thing while looking lovely and sounding great.  It gets a whole  extra point for the real-world sound effects and music (currently hung over and struggling with how to best describe them - basically if a piece of metal is going 'ting ting' the sound you hear in the game is of someone actually going 'ting ting'. [8]

44. God of War - PS4

I'd only played one God of War (no.III), but the idea of simplistic brawling between mammoth screen-filling boss battles has always appealed, which is why I was a a bit worried that the formula had been tinkered with this time.  Initial trepidation made way for full-on awe though - despite the the changes it's still an extremely focused hack 'n slash game, it just constantly allows the player to stray from the path.  The single shot presentation works magnificently, and almost every aspect of the brawling/searching/puzzling works either well or very well - even the voice acting, script and cut-scenes are high quality.  It's not a huuuge game in the way titles seem to present the 'X amount of square miles' thing as a plus point in itself these days, but much like Yakuza it makes the most of the areas by packing them (sometimes literally) to the rafters with goodies and diversions.  Graphics are outstanding, you can hear the juice being squeezed from an Amateur PS4.  As mentioned elsewhere the scene is well and truly set for a sequel that blows this game out the water - much like Breath of the Wild - but its testament to both game's quality that something this good can be so obviously built upon to make a superior sequel.  There's a [10] within comfortable reach of both games if the devs play their cards right.  [9]

45. Tearaway - Vita

[8]

46. Neon Drive - PS4

Please don't buy this unless you're an absolute glutton for punishment.  It looks gorgeous and sounds fine, but it's more memory than reactions.  The Blade Runner stage in the middle is rivals the chicken cake bake stage in Parappa as the wankiest section in gaming ever.  Truly hideous.  While typing that I remembered the tank level in the DC Hidden & Dangerous port that sank to a irregular 2-6fps and was effectively broken - that was probably marginally worse than the flying car stage in this.  Despite the fact that this is obviously a very stylish turd, I still enjoyed most of my time with it and don't regret spending £3.29.  Much like Colour Guardians last year, I find it hard to hate these rote pattern things - if they're pissing me off and I'm gradually progressing it's job done really. [6] for me, [4] for anyone of reasonably sound mind.

47. Hollow Knight - Switch

[10]

48. Roundabout - PS4

Enjoyable marriage of Kuru Kuru Kururin and Crazy Taxi.  Pick up passengers, watch a snippet of FMV - remember that?! - then drive them to their destination in a constantly spinning limo.  Yes, it's WACKY, and the humour misses the mark for most of the game (the footage is still enjoyable in spite of this, bizarrely - seems to be a bunch of the dev's mates roped in for the ride), but the core puzzle navigation is reasonably strong.  It only lasts 2hrs or so - double that if you want to mop up the challenges/collectibles, which is perfect for a budget game.  Certain sections are far worse than others but overall this was a hit for the two evenings it lasted.  [6]

49. Waioware Gold - 3DS

Enjoyable greatest hits package combining highlights of one of the best handheld franchises of all time.  There's a slight tinge of rush job about it though, something's not quite right - the animated cut scenes felt a bit budget to me, for a start.  For a full price release in 2018 imo there really should be at least double the amount of rounds in the story mode.  It's WarioWare though, which is hardly a one and done game, so there's high scores (and now achievements) aplenty to chase, plus the minigames are glorious.  You can't keep a good game down, and the fact that this contains a ton specific mash/tilt/touch minigames make this a pretty solid entry, but Inc. and Twisted will always be my favourites.  A solid 7 that I'm awarding a mean old [6] simply because it should have been glorious.

50. The Evil Within 2 - PS4

A very odd experience that manages to clumsily vault over all its shortcomings and emerge as a big wonky grin of a game.  I'm still not quite sure what to make of it, but I do know I had fun being frustrated by its numerous foibles. This is not a PS4 game from 2017, it's a glammed and hammed up PS3 game plonked into the wrong generation.  I don't really like survival horror games, the clunkiness that people find endearing - or pivotal, if you listen to the mate I played a third of this with (who was more or less punching the air with glee at one point) - is the element that puts me off most, along with that most hideous of things: ammo conservation.  When enemies get up close in this the controls are all over the place.  [Aha, but don't let them get up close].  I suggested a roll or dodge might be in order, and was scoffed at as he head popped his way though a dungeon section.  I'm glad I dropped the difficulty to casual, because I was struggling early on, but once I found a way to plough through it as a 3rd person shooter I warmed to it quite quickly.  It wasn't a pushover on casual either, so I'd imagine survival mode, which is the default, gets TOUGH.  The shotgun is satisfying, the bosses are memorable and its earnestly bonkers game is solid.  And it gets extra points for having a shooting range.  Oh, and there's a very well delivered "fu-uuck   yooou" after a spot of chainsawing toward the end. [7]

Additional: I thought they'd got Albarn to provide vocals to the end credits cover of Ordinary World, but a quick look online revealed it was just a soundalike.  Videogames have a poor track record for selecting songs that are as fitting or meaningful as whoever chose them think they are, but this one's a fucking belter.  Top notch home stretch, final boss was excellent.

51. Dead Nation - Vita

This was Housemarque??  Managed to miss that until the end credits.  By golly they've upped their game since.  I hated this, was a seemingly neverending attritional plod to the end, with unsatisfying weapons and dull, limited enemy types (no bosses either).  It even takes the coveted biscuit for 'worst shotgun in any game ever'.  Bobbins.  [3]

52. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture - PS4

I liked almost everything about it, other than the moments where finding the next story trigger felt a bit like needle in a haystack stuff.  The setting was spot on, most of the dialogue was fine and I thought the way the pertinent and non-essential narrative strands were woven together (from different time periods) to form an overall whole was extremely well handled.  The sound design was outstanding too, aside from the trigger points the swelling score must've been coded to build and add layers as you mill about.  I don't really understand 
but I can let that go.  One of the best walkers for me, I'd rate it ever so slightly higher than Firewatch [8]

53. A Way Out - PS4

[6/8]

54. Titanfall 2 - Xbox One

One of the best single player FPS campaigns since Halo CE.  I only played Half Life 2 on the OG Xbox, so my top three since would be DOOM, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger and this.  Not only is the shooting solid, satisfying (a shotgun blast can take out three human soldiers), chunky and FUN, but it's remarkably varied and even plays a strong platform game.  They really nailed the wall running thing, but at the same time the developers were aware that there's a limit to how good FPS platforming can be in a shooter; it's merciful to the point of over-kindness with both its checkpoints and the scope for rescuing yourself with the double jump safety net.  Fine by me, even though those section are great no-one's ever going to sit there thinking "damn, it's a shame I didn't die more and get stuck there a bit longer", so good call devs.  My only regret is that I played it on Regular difficulty, because as usual with FPS games that really stand out in SP, cranking it up a notch would've probably made it even better.  [8]

55. Xeodrifter - Vita

Metroid lite, but enjoyable.  Standard stuff - gradually make your way around four areas, if you find a boss KILL IT and pick up your new ability, then access somewhere you've never been.  The stages are functional, and mostly pretty easy if you resist the urge to rush things.  I thought the bosses were tough though (and a little bit fiddly due to the split second pausing required for certain weapon tactics).  S'ok for a freebie, scrapes a [6].

56. Unravel Two

I enjoyed the original, partly because it was the first videogame my daughter was fond of, but partly because I just enjoyed the laid back Limboness of it - and being gorgeous didn't hurt a bit.  The immediately available sequel was one of the highlights of this year's E3 - I downloaded it straight after the show.  Two months on and we're done.  Believe it or not it's a very accomplished co-op platform puzzler.  Plenty of games are improved with a second player, but few work so darn well.  I'll avoid the wool pun wormhole, don't panic.  It works so well with two that I can't remember how the original succeeded without it - the puzzles are breezy, but very well designed and, most importantly, they're fun to solve.  By the final third it starts to run out of steam, oddly enough as the puzzlers become marginally trickier and progress slows, but perhaps that's because I was playing with a 3yr old.  The final level is an absolute joy.  Not sure what's going on with the 'story' (kids running away from something?  The original had more to say) and it's not quite as tranquil as the first, but I really liked it.  Perhaps most importantly, it's a genuine contender for best parent/child co-op experience ever.  Anyone with young children with an interest in games should consider checking it out.  Serious happy zone gaming. [8]

57. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure

Glitches aside (I had numerous problems) this was a fine twist on the existing formula and very reasonably priced.  There's probably 8hrs of game here for £11.99.  The block push puzzles are still somewhere between acceptable and tedious, but there are a couple of decent puzzles elsewhere.  The grid battles are still a joy, and if anything there's not quite enough time to really get to grips with the new possibilities.  There were viable ways to combine these characters that I didn't have to explore to win, as on the whole the campaign felt a lot easier than the main game.  Donkey Kong's pick-up and run mechanic worked amazingly well, which is a surprise as it's such a game changer I'm surprised they could get the balance right.  I suppose the rub is the general step down in difficulty, but it's not easy per se.  Not sure what else to type as I'm very hung over, but if you enjoyed the standalone game I can't see why you'd dislike the DLC. [8]

Fuck it, in. Aim 52, prediction 9.

Completed: 10

1. Rise of the Tomb Raider (XB1X) 41 hours, 880/2250. 9 bananas out of a bunch of ten.

2. Walking Dead: Michonne (XB1) 1000/1000. 6/10.

3. Walking Dead: Season 2 (XB1) 1000/1000. 7/10.

4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (XB1). Campaign complete. 280/1000. 7/10.

5. Dear Esther (XB1) Story complete. 650/1000. 4/10.

6. Paladin (XB1) 1000/1000. 5/10.

7. World Heroes (XB1) 1000/1000. 4/10.

8. Rememoried (XB1) 1000/1000. 5/10.

9. Tales from the Borderlands (XB1) 1000/1000; 9/10.

10. Brothers (XB1) 1000/1000. 9/10.

11. Super Mario Odyssey (Switch) Story complete >20 hours. 10/10.

12. Superhot (XB1) story complete 245/1000. 8/10.

13. Uncharted 4 (PS4) Story complete, Hard, 20 hours. 9/10.

Currently Playing:
Battle Garegga (XB1)
Forza 7 (XB1)
Yakuza 0 (PS4)
Nex Machina (PS4)
Forza Horizion 3 (XB1)
Darius Burst Chronicle Saviours (PS4)
Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed (360)
Steamworld Dig (XB1)
Super Hydorah (XB1)
Thomas was Alone (XB1)
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)
Back to the Future (XB1)
Zero Gunner 2 (Switch)
Overdriven Reloaded (XB1).
Blazing Star (XB1/Switch)
Steamworld Dig (XB1)
Ghost Blade HD (XB1)
Prey (XB1)
Shock Troopers (XB1)
Samurai Aces (Switch)
Forza Horizion (XB1X)
Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (XB1)
Metal Slug (XB1)
Sengoku (XB1)
Super Luckys Tale (XB1)
Raiden Fighters Aces (J360)
Deathsmiles IIX (J360)
Letter Quest (XB1)
Shadow Warrior (XB1)
Shooting Love 10th Anniversary (J360)
Deathsmiles (J360)
Superhot (XB1)
Metal Slug 2 (XB1)
Oxenfree (XB1)
Sakura Flamingo Archives (J360)
Timeshift (X360)
Bullet Soul (X360)


On the list:
Game Paradise (PS4)

Cheeky day off means I'm up to 3.

I think I’d like to do this, but failed so hard last year that I wonder whether there’s any point. I could probably just copy and paste the list from last year.

Still, it’s good to keep track of them I suppose. Sod it, I’ll update a proper post later with my list of shame.

I’ll aim for 26 but will probably only do half that.

1. Oxenfree - about 6 hours or so?
I really wanted to love this game more than I actually did. It’s got a lovely visual aesthetic, a superb soundtrack and the voice work and script (despite some initial misgivings) is pretty good too. But... I dunno, something was missing from it that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it was that I left too long between sessions to finish it?

Anyway, there’s a lot to like in here and despite the lack of a spark for me I did enjoy my time with it. For a game in which you spend a lot of time just listening to people talking it kept my attention - despite some of the trudging about being slightly frustrating and getting the feeling that it was a question of extending play time and conversation time rather than contributing much to the agency of the characters or the story.

7/10

2. Doom
3. Dying Light
4. MGS5
5. Fallout 4
6. The Witcher 3 - 214 hours.
Pretty much my favourite game on Xbox and in my top 3 of all time. Absolutely loved it - incredibly detailed world full of amusing and b-movie acted characters (which added to my enjoyment) in a game slyly aware of the ridiculousness of its own genre. Great quests, great graphics, great soundtrack, easy to play and therefore very relaxing just spending time in the world. Really, really loved it. That’s the main story and all of it’s side quests and treasure hunts done - into Blood & Wine and Hearts of Stone next.
10/10

7. Ori
8. Hitman Episodes
9. Sunset Horizon
10. Dark Souls 3
11. Bioshock Infinite
12. Shadow of Mordor
13. Wolfenstein 2
14. Darksiders 2
15. CoD WW2 Campaign
16. The Turing Test
9 hours, all the achievements - but that’s not exactly difficult. Which is what you could easily describe this game as - a nice portal-esque first person puzzler which is more concerned with telling a story and creating an atmosphere than really challenging you. But, pretty good story it was and a great atmosphere was created so it was well worth the time I put into it.
7/10
17. Ryse
18. Outlast
19. Layers of Fear
21. What Remains of Edith Finch
Wow, what can I say? In about 4 hours delivers more genuine emotional complexity and depth than almost every other game I’ve ever played combined. Well, it’s not really a game in the traditional sense of the genre is it? But it is an experience, an interactive story that could only really be done in this medium. loved it - haunting and beautiful. 9/10.
20. Super Hot: super hot, super hot. Super hot super hot. SUPER HOT.
7/10

Doom

Titanfall 2 SP is short so tick that off quick.

FFS Digi, look what you did!

I really wanna try titanfall 2 at some point too.

Do eet. Titty 2 is superb.

Liveinadive wrote:

Do eet. Titty 2 is superb.

Gotta love a set of tittys!

hylian_elf wrote:

Off sick today cos I deserve a day off (sick) from work.

?

Can you play some of mine for me then please?

Jeez, didn’t you just have some time off and play some games?! Wish I could do that.

hylian_elf wrote:

Jeez, didn’t you just have some time off and play some games?! Wish I could do that.

Do 7 nights in a row every 10 weeks then 3 weeks off! 48 down this week, 36 to go...