11. Mario Golf Super Rush

I really disliked this all the way through, the way the game made you do bizarre extraneous hoops then gain nebulous XP for some non existant reason by the point of the final boss. I really enjoyed Mario Tennis by the time they dropped all the DLC, but at this stage this is a real stinker of a game.

18. Double Dragon (Arcade) - 25mins 

Pains me to say this, but this is pretty terrible, time has not been kind at all.

I was a huge DD fan as a kid and had the whole trilogy of NES games, and played the Master System version with my cousins, so I couldn't resist picking up these arcade versions on Arcade Archives.

Honestly, I think both of the aforementioned console versions are much more playable and fun than this. The controls are very loose and the speed at which your character runs around makes it a chore to even line up with an enemy at times.

The collision detection feels slightly off, and there's no real satisfying feeling when you do land a blow.

The real problem though is the slowdown, it is absolutely crippling. It was a common problem in games back in the day, but this is honestly the worst I've ever seen.

It feels wrong to attach this score to such an important and iconic game, but its just not a good game now unfortunately.

4/10

---

19. Double Dragon II The Revenge (Arcade) - 30mins 

Everything here is slightly better than the original but not enough. Everything still feels slightly loose and off, and the slowdown still ruins the fun.

The big problem with this one is how much is recycled from the first game. I know it was initially going to be an upgraded version and evolved into a stand alone game, but it doesn't feel like they did enough to justify it to me.

The NES version absolutely wipes the floor with this, I really need to check out the PC Engine version which is based on that and meant to be the best of them all.

Another disappointing arcade classic, and its bonkers to think Final Fight came out one year after this.

4/10

My list

Love it.  Have you see the limited run package?  I don't tend to do special plastic crap editions but wow.

Full list:

Mini-reviews of games I have completed this year:

1. Destiny 2: Beyond Light  
Solid, enjoyable expansion. New Stasis subclass was fun, there were some pleasantly tricky missions and this time there was actually story integrated. Unfortunately, this was also Bungie still being Bungo, so major momebts were kinda handwaved and ridden over, while the best and most interesting environments get hidden behind the completion of the main campaign. There's some cool new ways to choose how to level up and progress, and also a bunch of needlessly complex steps and currencies. Basically, it's more Destiny. 

Deffo worth the price of admission for me and by this point you'll know if you want more Destiny or not.
[7]
 
2. Detroit: Become Human   
Deeply flawed for sure, this game has nothing really to say about complex social issues. But, when it's channeling The Fugitive and just being a good Thriller? It actually nails it. Surprisingly good fun. 
[8]

3. Control   
It's very pretty. I didn't click with the combat and this is yet another Remedy game where I dig the style and the tone and the writing, but get bored of the enemy and encounter design.  And, I really did get bored.
[4]

4. Rise of the Tomb Raider   
So bad it makes me look on Control more kindly. A cynical, dull repeat of the TR reboot which loses all the charm that that game had. Not enough Tombs, dull plot, pointless open world design, limited puzzle solving and way too loud. The only thing that redeems is it that it is somehow better than the 3rd of the new Tomb Raiders. Obnoxious.
[3]

5. Bugsnax   
Really wanted to like this, and still have a soft spot for it. The world, story and characters are really good. But the Pokemon Snap gameplay hook is way too thin and it quickly becomes repetitive. Finished it out of obligation rather than enjoyment, which is a shame. 
[5]

6. Danganronpa   
Loved it, loved it, loved it. Filthy, flirty and fucked up - this hit all the buttons for me, sitting somewhere between Phoenix Wright, Persona and 999. Glorious. 
[10]

7. Danganronpa 2  
Thematically very brave, it really tries to live up to the standards set by its predecessor. Unfortunately, some of the trial logic feels flimsier and that ends up making it feel less cohesive than the first game. Not bad, not at all, but it's lacking that same spark. 
[7]

8. The Last Campfire   
Charming little game that I was able to play in complete in just one or two sessions. Very little challenge, but was still a lovely way to spend a few hours. Unlike some, I also really liked the narration. 
[8]

9. Oxenfree   
Absolute garbage. Hated it and finished it out of spite. The dialogue system seems kinda cute but it's skin deep and nothing you do has any real value. Got the option to abandon the story early only to get my arm twisted into continuing anyway. Fuck this game.
[1]

10. Donut County   
At this point I was starting to lose faith in games and had played some real stinkers this year - Control, Tomb Raider, Oxenfree and now Donut County. Donut Country is entirely proped up by incestuous California Game Scene in-joke vibes - it's a game that gets completely carried by the MEME energy of it being about Trash Pandas and the fact it's published by Annapurna (who, I now realise, are pretty much a guaranteed sign that the game is a poor one but is wrapped up in an attractive package and I can't think of a single game they published that is just straight up good). Same viral bullshit as Goose Game except, unlike goose game, there's actually nothing fun about playing this. Cost me 3 quid, still felt ripped off. 
[0] 

11. Slay the Spire  
Smashed it and got to Ascension 10+ in around a week or so. It's very well made. Ugly as sin, but i see the appeal.
[8]

12. Danganronpa V3 
Better than 2, not quite as good as 1. It tries sth in the beginning which I felt was really disapponting at the time but, eventually, I think it earns it. Has some good anime hotties and reference to internal cumshots. 
[9]

13. Monster Hunter: Rise  
Flawed, as all MH games are. Great, as all MH games are. Played 200+ hours of this in under 2 months. Slightly prefer World, but there's not much in it. Know a lot of people will prefer Rise. 
[8]

14. Returnal
Pew Pew, pew pew. 20 hours, 10 deaths, game completed. Worth the cost of the PS5 for me - the first truly next gen game (excluding Astro). 
[10]

15. Mass Effect 
Clunky, awkward, still great. The best writing in the ME series is till the best writing in the ME series. Saren and Sovereign are great antagonists and the game has some real highs. The Remastered visuals are hit and miss - some things look great, others don't, but overall it's a solid package.
[8]

16. Resident Evil Village
Rather than re-write stuff, the full review is here. Tl;dr - there's some great stuff but it's a very, very flawed game and in the end I was properly bored. Can understand giving it a [6], but in the end I can't truly offer more than a...
[5]

17. Untitled Goose Game
Completed this earlier in the year but forgot to stick it in here. Did it in MP with the wife and 2-player goosing was decent fun. Charming little game - twee, like Donut County, but unlike Donut County there’s actually something here. Fuck Donut County.
[7]

18. Aer: Memories of Old
Short, low poly affair. Relatively inoffensive stuff - got it cheap. Played it on switch. It ran like a dog at times, as a result, unfortunately. Flying was fun though.
[5]

19. The Pedestrian
Really enjoyed this. Did what The Witness did in taking what is effectively a bunch o’ puzzles and then wrapping it in sth else. That’s not to say it’s as broad or challenging as The Witness (it isn’t) but it’s still a lot of fun. Lovely visuals, great soundtrack, often quite charming. Doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. Would recommend.
[8]

20. Maquette
Hey, it’s another Annapurna game. What does this mean? This means that it’s a game published by people who think that listening to Belle and Sebastian while looking out the car window is a personality.
[4]

21. Alienation
Played through the campaign co-op with Shabby and finished it today. We’re now doing higher World tiers and are firmly on the Loot Cycle but as far as campaign goes, we can say it is “completed”.

B+ Housemarque, not their best, but even B level Housemarque is better than 90% of stuff out there. Lovely particles, crunchy guns, all the effects on screen at once. Missions are short and sweet - most take 10-15 minutes, so it’s the perfect game to jump on for a quick session. It’s not Nex Machina or Returnal, but very little is. Would be a 6 or 7 (if generous) played solo. But as a coop adventure, it’s a cool little thing.
[8]

22. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Enjoyed this. Was a fun, Saturday morning cartoon and very, very shiny. Not a big R&C fan at all and this is just more R&C - no bad thing, the series has its fans. For them, I think this’ll be a GotY contender. For me, it was just a simple good time. Was funny, gorgeous, loud, didn’t outstay it’s welcome and had buckets of charm.
[8]

New additions:

23. It Takes Two
Played this at a friends house in Chinese (albeit still with English VO). It's really, really good. Funny, weird, creepy, surprising. Genuinely nails the who co-operative element of 2-player games where often one player can completely carry the other - this is both a good and a bad thing, but it's worth occassional struggles for, you know, the themes. Brilliant.
[8]

24. Metroid: Zero Mission
Got all The Metroids ready to go and am gonna play through in anticipation of the upcoming Metroid Dread. So, started with Zero Mission. Blasted through it quite quickly, not that it's a long game, with final time coming in at just under 3 hours. I'm more a Fusion fan than a Zero Mission fan but this is still a corker and it improves on many of the flaws the OG had.
[8]

25. Mario Party (the Switch one) 
Played this 4P with my wife and a married couple. Dunno whether this game can be considered "complete" but we saw a lot of what the game had to offer - over multiple sessions we've done rhythm stuff, white water rafting and, of course, the classic board game setup. It's the ultimate RNG bullshit game but unlike in Mario Kart where this can feel cheap, the outrageous rubber banding and lack of methods to reliably win through skill actually make this game more enjoyable. It manages to capture that tabletop game at xmas vibe where you just wanna play together. It does its job. 
[7]


26. Mario And Sonic at the Tokyo Olympics 
Unfun waggle shit with poor motion registration make this far, far less fun than Mario Party. 100m sprints are shit, hurdles are shit, relay and all that stuff is shit. Equestrian sections are shit. A weird shooter with targets around an arena...gyroscopic shit. Football is laggy shit. Avoid. Rugby sevens is ok. 
[3]

Next on the list to finish:
Nex Machina
Zelda: Link's Awakening
Dreams 
Monster Hunter Stories 1/2 
Metroid 2

I’m on 4 games completed lol. Doing well.

20: Blur (PS3) 8/10

Not sure I'm quite done with this, but I'm pretty bad at racing games and have hit a difficulty wall.  Beating the campaign feels beyond my skill set.

This fondly remembered racer holds up really well.  Unique looking game with its stylised real life cars and muted neon colours.  The driving feels good; like I say, this isn't my forte but the cars feel solid and there's lots of exciting crashing and bashing.  Best part is that races often have 20 cars in them so you're often jostling with a bunch of other opponents.  Additionally the mario kart style power ups and they work really well and add to the good natured nastiness.  Really chaotic fun that brought to mind an action scene from Mad Max.  Thrilling feeling when you manage to burst through a cluster of racers, taking a couple out and emerging unscathed.

Playing contemporaries NFS Hot Pursuit and RR Unbounded recently I think Blur holds up a little better than them, if only for the lack of an indulgent crash camera that slows everything down.  

I understand this wasn't exactly a hit and does seem a bit confused, fusing together mario kart with the illegal street racing aesthetic but geez I'd love a remaster.  Like I say it still looks okay; I don't mind the jaggies but it is a little hurt by the 30 FPS.  Also I'd love an easy mode or that cool modern rewind feature!  Not sure who if anyone owns the rights, but everyone who played it has nice things to say, so maybe it's a chance on day?  

Of what I don't like, aside from being too hard for me, I'm not sure about the progression system.  Winning races isn't enough you've gotta meet certain conditions to unlock the boss races (shoot 3 people in a race, earn so many fans etc etc).  When you're struggling to place, additional tasks was asking too much.

Still though quality game, great to revisit something from a decade ago and it's just how you remember it.

EDIT: So it DOES have an easy mode!  I ended up turning the difficulty down and polishing off the single player mode.  Really enjoyable stuff all the way through; I’m bumping it up to a 9.

67. Ori & the Will of the Wisps - Switch (11hrs)

Last year I thought:

...and I'm mostly nodding in agreement after a second playthrough.  The Switch port is astonishing, quite frankly, and while corners have been cut here and there it's remarkable how much effort must have gone into making this shine.  If you listen closely you can hear a tiny Scotsman screaming from the CPU...something about 'cannae take it', and 'don't have the power'?.  Top marks for the team that squeezed one of - if not the - best looking games ever onto a machine that most folks in the know deemed underpowered in 2017.  I played most of it in handheld mode after a toss up between this and replaying on the Series S.  I had a look on Series S and jfc this game is a beauty with all the bells and whistles on.  I haven't got a 4KTV to check it out in full splendour, but it must look ridiculous.

As for the game itself, I don't think I stressed enough what an absolute joy it is to control in my original review.  I can't think of a 2D game that's more enjoyable in terms of movement, other than perhaps Super Meat Boy.  By the time Ori is fully upgraded the whole thing moves from superb to exhilarating - your moveset is vast and it all works perfectly.  It's a massive achievement.  

Again though, the bosses stink.  The last boss is particularly rancid - possibly in the pantheon of greats when it comes to letdown guardians - but none of them are better than okay.  Such a shame.  Even so, on reappraisal I think an [8] was harsh, it deserves a [9].  Having replayed both this year I'm still team Blind Forest overall as I think some of the platforming challenges are more tightly designed, but there's not much in it.  Great series.

68. Swords of Ditto: Mormo's Curse - Switch (5hrs)

Another Devolver Digital release, this one's a roguelike Zelda type from 2018.  I tried it solo a couple of times and always put it back on the meh-be pile.  Tilly was off school on Friday and we were looking for something to tackle in co-op, so embarked on a two player quest on relaxed mode.  It's a neat little game with a solid/enjoyable foundation but tbh I doubt solo play on standard difficulty would be rewarding enough for most players, given the wealth of alternatives that have popped up in the past three years.  The couch co-op mode is great fun though, and something I'd wholeheartedly recommend to other badgers who enjoy gaming with younger players (@monkey).   

Someone on the forum has played this.  I thought it was Wario but apparently not, and I can't find it with the search because it turns out there's a bunch of Swayze's on here.  It's got a bold and colourful look that works, decent music and an enjoyably basic fight system. The load times are annoying and overall it's only a [7], but we had a great time.  Play it if you fancy a less puzzly, more straightforward A Link Between Worlds, or wished that Cadence of Hyrule was a roguelike Zelda instead of a roguelike rhythmic Zelda.  

21: FFVII Remake Intergrade Yuffie Mission (PS5) 7/10

This is a nice bite size little return to the FFVII universe.  Now in stunning 60FPS!  Yuffie is a joy to hang out with especially in her moogle outfit (admittedly her unbuttoned jorts made me uncomfortable though).  I found her enthusiasm infectious.  

Think I gave the full game a 10 though, so why is this only a 7?  Nothing TOO serious.

*Even though Yuffie was fun (as was Scarlett) the story didn't do much for me.  In fact I'm struggling to remember what Yuffie's mission even was right now.  
*It's still a lovely looking game and runs smoother than ever.  But I'd have liked something new to look at.  The main area where you do your ninjaing and fighting was all to familiar (can't remember if you go to that EXACT area in the main game, but it certainly looks like a place you did go to).  It does take a bit of excitement away.
*I liked the fighting in the main game but it's a bit unusual and I couldn't remember how to do it properly.  I didn't want to relearn it for the sake of a 4 hour game.  This resulted in turning the difficulty down to easy which was a bit of a pushover.

But it was still pretty good fun.  Who knows if/when Part 2 will drop but I don't mind little indulgences like this even if it's a bit inconsequential.  I'd be up for another tiny adventure or two along the way with a new character in a new location.

Only the time they make you play it!  It didn't really grab me.  Also, I was too lazy to remember how to fight in this game, never mind learn a whole new strategy game.

It's worth getting into then?  I'll do a replay of FFVIIR soon, and give FC a proper go.

Some good points there.  Guess I found it easier to rush through knowing I'd play it again, and also I'm behind on my 52 games this year!  Will take it a little slower next time.

Pew pew.

Forgot to add this here.

9. Doom 2016 - Series X - according to Xbox it’s 0d 0h 0m played

What can I say. Great from start to finish. Just pure adrenaline fuelled shooty shooty pew pew with a few hidden bits that don’t get in the way. The last few levels that I played back to back last night and tonight just left feeling drained from the constant bombardment of enemies shooting, punching and chainsawing. But all in a good way. [9]

69. Lair of the Clockwork God - Switch (7hrs)

I'm a sucker for lists.  Sometimes I seek them out to help me add to other lists, in this case consulting a Hidden Gems list to help me top up my perpetually overspilling EShop wishlist, which eventually snagged me LotCG for £4.  There are games in there that haven't seen a sniff of a beefy discount in years, but still I wait.  Pig Eat Ball, Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble, Devil Engine, Inmost etc etc; you shall all be mine, but I refuse to pay full price and I will nope.gif less than 25% off.  Winning!(?)

I knew this was a platformer/point & click hybrid, but I absolutely was not expecting the main duo to be such marvellously playful banter bois.  Some folks have had enough of self referential, cheeky tongued knowing nudge nudgers, but I laughed out loud at this on numerous occasions.  The plot pings delightfully in numerous directions and thanks to the irreverent dialogue it's just as likely to shout sausages at 4th walls as it is to break them.  It's ever so British, and the humour is almost as bang on the money as Horace.   There are so many highlights it'd be a shame to mention any of them just in case someone reads this and thinks they'll check it out, only to discover that I've spoiled it by mentioning the Daily Mail reading brain-in-a-jar, but there's something I daren't even allude to that's so outrageously...outrageous that I can't quite believe the devs had the guts to go with it.  One million points each.  

It's a shame the platforming is so crushingly rote, because convoluted controls notwithstanding the rest of it is superb.  I'll stick my neck out and call this the best point & click since Curse of Monkey Island*, it always felt just on the right side of obtuse.  I absolutely loved my time with it and will remember it far more fondly than perhaps it deserves.  I can't pretend it's perfect 'cos it ain't - it's a glitchy little number for a start - but it's hugely likeable in spite of its flaws.  One of the most impressive indie games I've played for years.  [8]     



How can a game this good not even yield gifs on a Google image search?

*I wanted to type Grim Fandango here really, but I'd be lying out my arse because I still haven't played it.

Blitzing through them recently. I have another one done as well, but need to keep quiet about it for a few more days.