Community Backlog Blitz Season 14 - Runs January 1 through March 31 with a raffle at the end

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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We just finished a successful twelfth season of the Backlog Blitz. We have completed three whole years! Gosh, we're getting so old now starting up our fourth year. Having made it past our twelfth season it means that King of the Hill didn't last as long as we have and with this season we're passing Bob's Burgers as well. We had 20 participants with 96 game goals set and 50 of them were completed. Congrats on clearing out those backlogs! The rate of completion took a drastic hit this last season but that's likely to be expected with all the big new releases, holiday activities, and the big sales rapidly hitting at the end of the year to help give us more material for future Blitzes. Futaleufu was the big winner this time winning the raffle for completing Unravel. Make sure to congratulate them here or in the previous thread!

We've made it to first quarter of 2023. As mentioned above we shall all set our new resolutions, or at the very least plan to complete some of our older games we've had sitting around. Unfortunately for the Blitz the first quarter's releases look to be the holiday releases pushed off by a quarter so good luck getting to the old games with so many notable games releasing these first three months.

The spreadsheet has been updated, the prize pool has been reset. We'll start with $20.00 but chipping in is always welcome. The details to do so will be posted separately within the thread soon after we get started.

Pick your games accordingly!

What it is:

It's a simple way to clear out some backlog games. You select a number of specific games you want to complete and if you complete them in a set time frame you have a chance to pick a game of your choice within the prize limits.

Rules:

First off, there is no time limit on when you can join. If you come in late and only have a month left please feel free to join. Even one completed game will get you entered into the raffle detailed below.

Everyone shares the same rules so an agreed amount of time would be set (three months this time) and then a set amount of games you want to complete in that time (been using five games). You then pick your specific five games with the intention that you don't go changing it all the time. The idea isn't that once you beat some game you go and list it and mark it complete. Instead, you pick five games to complete at the start of the Blitz and ideally you complete them as well as anything else you want to finish in that time.

Prize:

In the end, I suggest a prize pool and a simple raffle done. I always chip in $20 to start it and accept any other additions. Raffle winners must use at least half but can go up to the full price of a game (capped at $60 if the prize pool gets large enough). Leftover goes to the next drawn winner until it gets down to $0 (or close enough at which point I'll just add it to the next Blitz).

Thoughts?

There's no entry fee or anything so there's really no loss for taking part or starting it and then ignoring it. It's just a fun way to clear out backlog games and have discussion about what you're completing. And commiserate if you pick a game you don't enjoy and sour one of your spots on your list.

I created the Google Sheet so feel free to add yourself and games:

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I changed to a hide until replied as I think some people had issues with the hide until reacted. Ask any questions and sorry for those that already posted their new lists in the previous thread. Feel free to just post it again here as we continue for the next three months here.

Good luck, everyone!
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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My five to start the year:
  • AI: The Somnium Files
  • Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Legacy of the First Blade
  • Azure Striker Gunvolt 2
  • BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
  • Flowers -Le volume sur printemps-
As I've been doing for some time I set a goal list of games sorted into categories and pull all my Blitz games from it so this year I'm working on INTi Creates games, open world, RPGs, visual novels, fighting games, and Rogue-lites. Unfortunately for me most those categories can be fairly lengthy to complete so this'll be a tougher year.

Oh, and I restarted WoW at the end of the year so that might ultimately eat into some of my time if I get back into grinding out some stuff but mostly I just plan to get through the zones and campaign stuff I missed in my four years out and not worry too much about end game content. So overall I expect to work on it off and on for a month or two and then be free of it again!
 

Valdien

✵ Chaos! ✵
Mar 26, 2020
1,254
2,727
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Toronto
My five games for now. I might end up switching the last two depending on the upcoming game releases.

1) - Lost Judgement
2) - Supraland: Six Inches Under
3) - Ender Lilies
4) - Fire Emblem Engage
5) - Hi-Fi Rush
 
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Cacher

Romantic Storm
Jun 3, 2020
4,133
12,609
113
I only completed one game in the last quarter, and it was not a blitz game :ROFLMAO:

Time to pretend that I am going to play through all these.
 

Knurek

OG old coot
Oct 16, 2018
2,437
5,998
113
My five games:
Persona 5 Royal
Witch on the Holy Night
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Deus Machina Demonbane
AI: The Somnium Files
 
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Parsnip

Riskbreaker
Sep 11, 2018
3,028
6,667
113
Finland
Congrats Futaleufu for winning the previous blitz!

I'm in of course, but haven't really thought about games just yet so I'll plop down a new post later.
 

Deku

Just nothing
Oct 19, 2018
4,261
8,615
113
20XX
www.seikens.com
I am back for this season!

My games:
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3
Resident Evil 5

Yeah, I am going to play only Resident Evil games. I skipped 4, since I already have played it before. The rest I haven't played yet
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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I am back for this season!

My games:
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3
Resident Evil 5

Yeah, I am going to play only Resident Evil games. I skipped 4, since I already have played it before. The rest I haven't played yet
This should be a really good time. I played through all those in recent years and even with people's complaints with Zero and Resident Evil 5 I remember having more fun than not. Just need to be a little patient with Zero since it certainly has some frustration built into its design.
 

Spamlynguist

I can never decide on an avatar
Dec 31, 2018
1,022
2,846
113
25
New year, new Blitz:

1. Evil West (Steam)
2. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster (Steam)
3. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS5)
4. Saints Row (Xbox 360)
5. Yakuza 0 (PS4)
 

Futaleufu

Laughing Chojin
Mar 14, 2019
679
1,119
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A great way to start a new year!!

This season:

1.- Noctropolis
2.- Batman The Enemy Within
3.- Randal's Monday
4.- Sonic Adventure 2
5.- Star Wars The Force Unleashed II
 

gabbo

MetaMember
Dec 22, 2018
3,506
5,542
113
Toronto
Still trying to finish most of the games from the previous blitz
  1. Praey for the Gods
  2. Gears Tactics
  3. Drakan: The Ancients' Gates
  4. Stray
  5. Rollerdrome
 
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Parsnip

Riskbreaker
Sep 11, 2018
3,028
6,667
113
Finland
Darksiders III
Hellpoint
The Surge 2
Watch Dogs
Chasm

Here's my 5. Though to be honest I may end up switching one or some of the bigger games out as time goes. I noticed that I don't own The Surge 2 Kraken DLC, so depending on if I buy it in the next 2 months, I may end up swapping that out to something else and play the "complete" surge 2 later. Same is actually true for Darksiders 3 and Hellpoint as well, where there are story DLC for both. So even though I would probably only count the main game in the blitz, I would still like to play the DLC in one go with the main game. So we'll see.

Though now that I think about it, the sale is still going on for a few more days so maybe I should get all the DLC's that I want right now.

edit: Actually went and bought all the DLC I wanted so that won't be a problem at least. :grinning-face:
 
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Spamlynguist

I can never decide on an avatar
Dec 31, 2018
1,022
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25
Beat the first game on my Blitz list, which was the OG Saints Row! Been meaning to finish this for a couple years.

Definitely not my favourite Saints Row but it's neat to see the roots of the series.
 

C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,992
11,886
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Once again did poorly on my Blitz last month. I think I have too many games, and bringing it down to 5 is really difficult!

Alas, I'll go again...
  1. SIGNALIS
  2. A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986
  3. Hi-Fi Rush
  4. Highway Blossoms
  5. Dead Space (2023)
We'll see how many of these I work my way through. Considering there's a whole bunch of releases from January to March, I'm not sure how many I'll do.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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Once again did poorly on my Blitz last month. I think I have too many games, and bringing it down to 5 is really difficult!

Alas, I'll go again...
  1. Sonic Frontiers
  2. Rusty Lake Hotel
  3. Resident Evil Village
  4. Highway Blossoms
  5. Castle of Illusion
We'll see how many of these I work my way through. Considering there's a whole bunch of releases from January to March, I'm not sure how many I'll do.
Don't forget you're allowed to swap out games if you realize something else you're starting is going to take time away from something else or if you just find you're not in the mood for something you listed after thinking you'd get to it.
 

C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,992
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I might have to because I tried Sonic Frontiers and hated it!
 

kio

MetaMember
Apr 19, 2019
1,447
4,656
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Let's do this :longswordblob:

  1. Disco Elysium
  2. The Last Campfire
  3. Lost in Random
  4. Unravel 1 & 2 (shouldn't take long so I'm bundling them together)
  5. Raji: An Ancient Epic

After almos 2 months of nothing but Tactics Ogre (and still going btw) I'm sticking with shorter games (hopefuly) as a sort of palate cleanser.
 
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Futaleufu

Laughing Chojin
Mar 14, 2019
679
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Star Wars The Force Unleashed II is a mediocre/bad action game and an awful PC port locked at a very stuttery 30 fps. If i try to get rid of the stutter by increasing the frames per second through mods the game misloads the stages or crashes. I think I'll just try to power through it, it's a short game.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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First game down. Completed AI: The Somnium Files. Last year I played through all three Zero Escape games so I was really excited to finally play both AI games after getting them in a recent sale. And well, I think this ranks below those, though still a good time. The problem is it reminds me a bit of Punch Line where the gameplay drags things down but the writing and story is the good part. In that it's far better than Punch Line but it has that same problem where the interactive bits are just not designed in a fun way. Gone are the escape rooms and now there are trial and error "puzzle" segments where essentially you have open spaces with a bunch of interactions that all take up time on a time limit and the logic is tough to really decipher since it's a dream world. Things essentially never behave as you'd expect so you just pick actions and hope for the best more than most anything else. There's some strategy to it but ultimately I think I'd just have had a better time using a guide for all of those sections to remove the frustrations.

The counter to all that is the writing is a real joy, especially paired with the comedic acting and animations. So all that along with an intricate (but far more linear than I had expected) story and I'm still glad I played through it. I hear the second game is possibly better so I'm hopeful. I started it up but not far enough to get a good idea what's all that different besides the story stuff.
 
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Kvik

Crossbell City Councillor
Dec 6, 2018
4,149
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Downunder.
I almost forgot to decide on my blitz games. :flare_lmao:

I think I'm going to go for a shorter ADV/point and click list of games for this season. I bought so many over the years, but mostly still left unplayed.

A Golden Wake
Lamplight City
Virtuaverse
Primordia
Thimbleweed Park
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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I almost forgot to decide on my blitz games. :flare_lmao:

I think I'm going to go for a shorter ADV/point and click list of games for this season. I bought so many over the years, but mostly still left unplayed.

A Golden Wake
Lamplight City
Virtuaverse
Primordia
Thimbleweed Park
This is actually one reason I started doing my category-based yearly goal list. It gets me to focus on specific things like genres, developers, or series to help push myself to go through them finally. Been working pretty well so far!
 
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Parsnip

Riskbreaker
Sep 11, 2018
3,028
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Finland
Finished Darksiders III. It's pretty alright. Not my favorite of the 3 I've played so far and I don't feel the urge to 100% it like I did with the other 2 (twice, because of the remasters), but it's totally fine. Fury feels a bit like a glass cannon. Some of the bosses hit hard and so the combat is really just a lot of dodging with a couple of hits in between every dodge.

Also I'm really bad at dodging. :tightly-closed-eyes:
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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I think for the first time I'll have to swap out a game. Turns out the BlazBlue Calamity Trigger Steam version is essentially unplayable. It's riddled with tons of problems, worst of all that it runs at like 10fps (despite the game saying 30fps) and there's no guaranteed fix. Resetting your PC fixes it on the short term for some folks but I'm not going to restart my PC each time I want to play it. And there's no way to play it on modern consoles. I'll ponder it and maybe try one computer restart and see if that does magically fix it but I have my doubts.
 

ganmo

My Neighbour Totoro
Dec 10, 2018
350
408
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Just to give you an update.

Okami HD which I began with last year, but didn't manage to finish in time. I finished it this time around so first game out of five done for this round of blitz. It was quite a pain to play it through in 30fps, but thanksfully there's a speed hack which made the game very fast but the feeling it gave was 60fps haha. :face-with-stuck-out-tongue-and-tightly-closed-eyes:

Next game I looked into my pile of games is Old Man's Journey. Had it in my mind since it was first released as a mobile game for iPhone I think? Anyhow so far quite enjoyable since it has quite easy puzzle while it shows me some impressive art and although silent a very emotional story :)
  1. Okami HD
  2. Old Man's Journey
  3. TBA
  4. TBA
  5. TBA
 
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C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,992
11,886
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Updated my list with pretty much a whole new 5, other than Highway Blossoms which I actually managed to finish. That and A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986 and SIGNALIS. All 3 were awesome!

Going to play Hi-Fi Rush next and then Dead Space (2023).
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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Just to give you an update.

Okami HD which I began with last year, but didn't manage to finish in time. I finished it this time around so first game out of five done for this round of blitz. It was quite a pain to play it through in 30fps, but thanksfully there's a speed hack which made the game very fast but the feeling it gave was 60fps haha. :face-with-stuck-out-tongue-and-tightly-closed-eyes:

Next game I looked into my pile of games is Old Man's Journey. Had it in my mind since it was first released as a mobile game for iPhone I think? Anyhow so far quite enjoyable since it has quite easy puzzle while it shows me some impressive art and although silent a very emotional story :)
  1. Okami HD
  2. Old Man's Journey
  3. TBA
  4. TBA
  5. TBA
Old Man's Journey I recall being really short. Was that also where it was somewhat random so if you played again you could go a different path to the end? I played a couple games of this style and I can't remember if this was the one that did that with the story.

Updated my list with pretty much a whole new 5, other than Highway Blossoms which I actually managed to finish. That and A Summer's End: Hong Kong 1986 and SIGNALIS. All 3 were awesome!

Going to play Hi-Fi Rush next and then Dead Space (2023).
I really liked A Summer's End. Hopefully the sequel is just as good (if not better!). Highway Blossoms is enjoyable in that cozy sort of way. I'm reading Flowers for the Blitz and plan to go through all four this year and if you want cute girls doing cute yuri things it's been a good read so far an hour or two in. Studio Elan who did Highway Blossoms also has other options but I've only read their most recent, Please Be Happy, which was decent but not a favorite.
 
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ganmo

My Neighbour Totoro
Dec 10, 2018
350
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Old Man's Journey I recall being really short. Was that also where it was somewhat random so if you played again you could go a different path to the end? I played a couple games of this style and I can't remember if this was the one that did that with the story.
It was really short, had a touching story. Although half way through I was suspecting how the ending was going to be like. I think maybe watched to many kind of these story before, but in movie format haha. The game had no multiple endings anyhow.

As for my third I started out, and it is TOEM. So far so good. A bit different adventure game ;)

  1. Okami HD
  2. Old Man's Journey
  3. TOEM
  4. TBA
  5. TBA
 

Cacher

Romantic Storm
Jun 3, 2020
4,133
12,609
113
Did some switching:
  • Trails of Cold Steel 3 -> Hi-Fi Rush
  • Steamworld Dig 2 -> Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
  • Helltaker -> Call of Duty: Black Ops

Have been playing all three lately.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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It was really short, had a touching story. Although half way through I was suspecting how the ending was going to be like. I think maybe watched to many kind of these story before, but in movie format haha. The game had no multiple endings anyhow.

As for my third I started out, and it is TOEM. So far so good. A bit different adventure game ;)

  1. Okami HD
  2. Old Man's Journey
  3. TOEM
  4. TBA
  5. TBA
I was thinking of Burly Men at Sea. That one has multiple paths to reach the ending. Names are too similar!
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
1,646
113
Finished my second game, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. Was close to switching it for something else but after a PC reset to get it to run at 60fps, because that somehow works, it never reverted to a lower framerate so I was able to go through it. Got the normal and true endings for all characters and completed arcade mode with all characters. Honestly could have left off arcade mode with how little it added and story mode was already pretty lengthy, but it was still a good enough time. The future games in the series I'll definitely cut back a bit on completing everything as they quickly grow massive in content.
 
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gabbo

MetaMember
Dec 22, 2018
3,506
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Toronto
Finally finished my first game - Drakan: The Ancients Gates.
Mechanically feels its age, but it's a sequel to one of my favourite games ever, and it was quite a bit of fun when not being frustrating.
Just makes me want more of them, since modern hardware could do massive draw distances for flight and tighten up some of the annoying limitations the PS2 brings with it. Let me control the Order of the Flame dammit. More dragons!

Would recommend for retro fans and fans of the first
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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And fourth game down: Flowers -Le volume sur printemps-.

Good, solid VN. A PG-rated yuri VN that's the first of four games that's from a VN developer I really like that means there's darker and mysterious elements that sneak in on occasion. But mostly just a solid cast of characters and good writing. Definitely interesting to go through the rest in the series.

Final game left is DLC for Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Probably get started on that this weekend but I might put it off to work through some newer stuff first.
 

MegaApple

Just another Video Game Enthusiast
Sep 20, 2018
1,445
3,663
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Unsure to join because I was determined to finish games this year, and I've already not reached there.
I started games last year but didn't finish.

I hate hate hate being so unsure all the time about myself.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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Unsure to join because I was determined to finish games this year, and I've already not reached there.
I started games last year but didn't finish.

I hate hate hate being so unsure all the time about myself.
I'll give my usual reminder to folks: It's free to join and even if you complete one game it gets you entered into the raffle at the end but no penalty if you don't because you're distracted by other stuff. Some people like having the Blitz as a reminder and a bit of an incentive to actually play stuff that otherwise they want to play but waffle about because without that extra push they just leave untouched.

Either way, up to you!
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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Finished my final game: Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Legacy of the FIrst Blade expansion. Ultimately just more Odyssey since gameplay doesn't see any changes but still had a good time with it since I just have fun playing the game. Had some really good sequences, a few interesting segments, and unfortunately some weak characters that kind of spoil a good chunk of the story, but I liked the antagonist stuff and the older character you meet in the expansion so it balanced out. Interesting story and at least they tried to pull off something more serious and character driven but with mixed results.

And now I'm free of the Blitz until April so time to see what else I want to focus on.
 
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Valdien

✵ Chaos! ✵
Mar 26, 2020
1,254
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Toronto
Updated the listed with Supraland Six Inches & Hi-Fi Rush marked as completed. Finished the Supraland post game puzzle last weekend, so I think I'm done with the game. Not gonna bother collecting every chest/post game trophy.

Currently in the process of doing a full Crown S rank playthrough of Hi-Fi Rush on Rhythm Master + post-game content. Not sure if I'll actually manage to do it (too old for stuff like this), but worth a try, lol. Finished Track 12 with a S rank last night, so I guess that's progress! I'll move onto Lost Judgment once I've had enough of Hi-Fi Rush.
 
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C-Dub

Makoto Niijima Fan Club President
Dec 23, 2018
3,992
11,886
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I finished Hi-Fi Rush about a week and a bit ago. Still thinking about it. Spreadsheet updated - just Dead Space now and holy shit I might actually have a clean sweep of my Blitz this quarter.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
1,095
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Dead Space and Hi-Fi Rush are definitely priority games for me now that the Blitz is complete for me. Just need to finish a couple other games I'm working on and I'll finally get to those two.
 

kio

MetaMember
Apr 19, 2019
1,447
4,656
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A little update on completed games so far:
  • Lost in Random (PC) - Neat little idea trapped in a basic game. Story has it's ups and downs although it's never amazing or super engaging. It would be a better game if it had more puzzles and less combat encounters. 3/5
  • Unravel 1 & 2 (Deck) - Not bad games but also not setting the world on fire. Both games worked fine on the Deck, even though the first one is unsupported, but the EA app bootup at the start can be a bit hit or miss. Overall I think I liked the first game more than the second as the world and story was more personal and coherent than the latter, which felt more like a collection of levels. 4/5
  • The Last Campfire (Deck) - For all intents and purposes I think this is a perfect game. A little gem with perfect pacing, puzzles, mechanics and characters. An absolute must play seal of approval from me. 5/5
 

Parsnip

Riskbreaker
Sep 11, 2018
3,028
6,667
113
Finland
Finished Chasm.
It's fine, feels a bit weird, heavy, laggy, or something. It also has the kind of level up/stats curve where for example at level 10 you are taking a ton of damage from enemy x but on level 12 you only take 1 damage from that same enemy. I'm exaggerating maybe a little. In addition for xp, each time you level up instead of only increasing the level up requirement for the next level, they also reduce the xp you get from enemy x, all the way down to 1 xp. These two combined means that there's no point in fighting the enemies in an area after you cross both thresholds, literally just wasting time at that point.
:wd_time:



I think I'm going to watch some dogs next. 🌭
 
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Futaleufu

Laughing Chojin
Mar 14, 2019
679
1,119
93
I've spent too much time playing GAAS racing games and Command & Conquer to move on the blitz, but I finally did.

Noctropolis would be a lot better if the gameplay loop wasn't so reliant on pixel hunting. The game has too many threads that go nowhere, as if it was released incomplete. Graphics must've been impressive at the time.

That's game 2/5 of this season.
 
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Wibblewozzer

Wibblewozzer

Robot on the inside
Dec 6, 2018
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Kinda tired of only playing Resident Evil games, so I think I am going to change the remaining games to something else
You only finished 0 and the first Remake! But might be best to spread them out a bit. I'm assuming you were doing the original 2 and 3 on your plans and not the remakes? Because the remakes would at least change up the feel of the games quite a lot.
 

Futaleufu

Laughing Chojin
Mar 14, 2019
679
1,119
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Randal's Monday is one of those games that believes that referencing or quoting pop culture is funny by itself.
 
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