Topic: Games You Recently Beat?

This weekend i beat Metroid Prime Remastered as well and got right back into Danganronpa 2 Goodbye Despair! ^^

Finally finished up Hi-Fi RUSH on PC, and man, this game was such a nice surprise. It had absolutely no marketing ahead of time, was developed by a very talented studio and producer, and came out fantastic. The idea of combining a rhythm game with a third-person action platformer is incredibly creative, and I'm surprised that this concept hasn't really been executed before. Along with that, a lot of the levels are very fun and unique, the story is pretty interesting, and the music is all around pretty catchy. I think my only issue with the game is that some of the levels tend to be a bit too long for my taste; some of them took up to 45 minutes for me. I sort of wish they could have done more levels that were shorter, instead of fewer, longer levels. Other than that, though, this game was a blast. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already. Anyways... onto the beginning of my write-up for Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice because oh boy... do I have a lot to say about that game. Mostly good things, mind you.

As for Hi-Fi Rush, though, I'll give it a well-deserved 9/10.

Crisis Core Reunion. Incredible how they managed to make one of the best FF Characters with Zack from the nothing burger he was in the original game. The ending left me a blubbering mess

Just recently reached 101% for the second or third time in Donkey Kong Country. That is always a good time. A few weeks back before that I beat Kuru Kuru Kururin, and Super Metroid. Those were both fun as well. Oh, and I also beat Minish Cap as well. So much fun was had on all of those games.

I beat Yomawari: Lost in the dark, like 2 weeks ago. The story and the characters still live in my head rent free.

Apologies for the long post in advance. I just finished Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice and am now playing through the DLC case. Overall, I was extremely impressed by this game. I thought it was a fantastic culmination of everything that Capcom and the Ace Attorney team have learned since Takumi left the mainline series. But, I have a ton of things to talk about, both good and bad, so here we go.

Story: Overall, I think this game tells a fantastic isolated story. It successfully builds a believable, completely new world, filled with its own ridiculous issues and corrupted leaders. It gives us in-depth, original characters such as Rayfa and Dhurke that do great towards giving the world a sense of believability that this series is well-known for, despite its ultimate over-the-top nature. And it even expands on the personalities of fully established characters, like Maya, Phoenix, and especially Apollo. Holy cow, does his character go through some stuff in this game. And the cases themselves are all fantastically written. Pretty much every single one has a great twist that really surprises you. I just want to talk about a couple of them, but since they’re pretty major spoilers, I’ll be marking them. Please, do not read this part if you’ve never played the game before. First off, the true nature of Tah’rust’s death was absolutely shocking. For a series that consistently deals with straight-up murders for the most part, the twist in this case caught me completely off-guard. I thought it was incredibly creative and made perfect sense, and yet, I didn’t see it coming at all. Really great stuff. And then we get to what I believe to be one of the greatest twists in the series, and that’s Dhurke. I won’t specifically write his twist as I would hate to spoil it for someone, but my goodness, what an absolute bombshell that was. It was handled expertly as well, giving us little hints of foreshadowing throughout the case without being too conspicuous. And Apollo’s reaction to the twist is nothing short of phenomenal. It feels completely deserved considering his relationship with Dhurke and Sahdmahi. The one case that truly confused me for its inclusion, however, was Athena’s. It felt very shoed-in, like the writers just felt obligated to give Athena her own case. And throughout the entire episode, I was really wondering what part of the story it was going to play overall. And then… it just ends and doesn’t get mentioned again. That was pretty disappointing, because I definitely wanted to see more of Athena and Blackquill, especially after how fantastic both of them were in Dual Destinies. The case itself is great and highly entertaining, but I just really wish it would have felt more connected to the rest of the game overall. Now, onto some of the stuff that I think was less than great. The final big bad in this game was a little boring to me. Right when they revealed their “true form”, I was like, yeah this person did it. And I was hoping it would turn out that they actually didn’t do it. But then it turns out that it was them anyway. That was a little underwhelming, even though the final case overall is great. This game does fall into the same issues that the other two games in the second trilogy fall into, and that’s the lack of one real cohesive story, or theme. The first trilogy is a masterpiece in my book because, as a whole, it’s truly able to tell one slow, cohesive story and deliver consistent themes throughout its entire runtime. And while the second trilogy certainly has great themes and character moments, it’s something that really wasn’t able to be recreated completely. And it’s shame to think about that because this second trilogy had some truly stellar writing. DD and SoJ in particular had incredible isolated stories which led to some all-time great moments in the series. But, I really wish they could have recreated that same level of cohesion that the first trilogy and the GAA games had. This isn’t in fault of SoJ in particular; it’s a culmination of Takumi leaving, likely some decisions on Capcom’s part, and the writers probably being unsure where to take the story from where AJ:AA left off. I really do hope if AA7 ever gets made that the writers really strive to create a narrative that really feels connected and complete overall. The way the second trilogy does it is still great, and ends up having better stories than 99% of other games out there, but it just feels like an overall downgrade from what came before it.

Characters: Alright, that was a lot of complaining. Let’s talk about something that isn’t nearly as conflicting… the characters! Spirit of Justice easily has the strongest cast of characters in the second trilogy. Apollo finally gets some much-deserved development and is now one of my favorite characters in the series. Phoenix has some really cool moments that I was not expecting from him. Especially having to face him in court briefly, like what?!? Dhurke is a really strong character that has some really cool interactions with some other characters. Sahdmahi is also a pretty great prosecutor overall. He follows the standard trope of initially being mean to you, but eventually, we see some of his backstory and how certain other characters are related to him. He’s definitely not one of the all-time greats, but I’d say he deserves to be talked about on the same level as Franziska or Klavier, at the very least. I do really wish that Blackquill and Athena would have gotten more screen time, though. Outside of their own brief chapter, they really don’t do much in this game. Especially after Blackquill stole the show in DD, it’s disappointing to see him take such a backseat in this game. Ultimately, though, this game has some fantastic characters, both new and returning.

Music: It’s Ace Attorney. It’s Noriyuki Iwadare. It’s a phenomenal soundtrack. The blend of modern electronic music and ethnic acoustic music is extremely creative and makes a fantastic contrast. Pretty much every returning character has a remixed theme, and all of them are amazing. They feel much more high-adrenaline, have more creative instrument choices, and overall fit the tone of the game greatly. Honestly, I would be fine with Iwadare composing the Ace Attorney games to the end of time, because he has been killing it since Trials and Tribulations. Maybe a collaboration between him and Kitagawa? That would be incredible.

Conclusion: I don’t think I’ve ever had quite as much to say about an Ace Attorney game as I have with Spirit of Justice. This game easily has some of the highest highs in the entire series, and I cannot find that many lows with it. And yet, I can’t help but feel that this game didn’t quite live up to its full potential. Its lack of cohesion in the storytelling is probably its biggest fault overall, and I truly hope that a potential AA7 really gives the series the refresh it needs, like what TGAA did. Ultimately, though, I still had a ton of fun with this game. The quality is through the roof, the divination seances are a fun new courtroom mechanic, and at the end of the day, if it’s an Ace Attorney game, I’m going to have fun with it. And I think I should judge this game for what it is, rather than what it isn’t. It’s an awesome game, everyone should play it, yadda yadda Ace Attorney is one of the greatest game series out there.

9/10

I beat Metroid Prime: Remastered the other day. Felt nice to once again accomplish that. 11 hours and 49 minutes. Only had to load from a save point once, so there's that. Noticing all the differences was a fun way to play it, like how they've remade Samus' face and how the helmet dematerializes this time rather than have her take it off and hold it with her free hand.
I did miss an aqua drone scan... I'll catch it on the hard mode run.
And I played it in classic mode for the muscle memory, though the ABYX buttons are different enough to mess with that.
After the hard mode run, then it's waiting for MP2:E:R

Just finished Resident Evil 4 Remake. The original one was a masterpiece and this one is masterpiece as well.

I played it on a PS4 Pro. Yes, the graphics are downgraded compared to the PS5/PC but it was so enjoyable to play on performance settings. I had no issues at all! No slowdowns or crashes! No updates either, played it only from the disc installation!

@Zuljaras I only saw RE4RE as someone else was playing, and I kinda didn't like the character remodelling, Ashley looks like she's 40 and speaks that way. The crosshair instead of laser sights and indication on when you can melee an enemy is a werid choice, too. Maybe it's just me being a hopeless purist, though.

@ComfyAko I actually prefer the new Ashley as the other one seemed like a brat to me But the original was made in another time maybe that is why she was sexualized a little more back then.

As for the combat the new one is better for me as I am not locked in one place while aiming, but the enemies are more aggressive to counter that. And the laser sights were ok for the old one.

I was worried after what they did to RE3R (atrocious), but I am impressed

The best part is that the original can be played even on the latest consoles, unlike the original RE2 and RE3.

@Zuljaras Actually, that was her charm, she looked kinda like a spoiled princess, fittingly to her title as the president's daughter, but she proved to be the complete opposite. A bit of a tomboy, and brave enough to get through all this, at one moment even without Leon's help. Sexualized, as in you refer to that exact point I mentioned, the one where you control Ashley and in Japanese version the camera is fixed? And she crawls through a hole and the camera pans to give an unfortunate shot? I would let that one slide.

Maybe I'm just used to the original, cause it was, well... original, back then. This one looks like every other game to me

Ruiner

Isometric twin-stick action game published by Devolver Digital. Arguably one of my favorite third party publishers because the games they publish skew more towards mature-rated experiences than family-friendly-fun. Ruiner is a linear action game with a lot of window dressing. There's a score-and-time-attack system, but both don't go towards anything other than speed running and/or bragging rights. And there's an overworld hub, but you really don't interact with much of it.

Anywho, this was a quick three-hour blast. You're constantly switching between melee and ranged weapons depending on the situation. Ranged weapons only get one magazine, which forces you to routinely pick up weapons dropped by enemies. And the soundtrack is very appropriate for the dystopian / cyberpunk theme of the game.

Just...one hell of a good time, puppy.

Couple games this weekend:

Metroid Prime Remastered
I had started on Gamecube a little over a year ago, but fell off of it. At the time, I was finding the controls to be a barrier, but was always planning on returning to it. When the Remaster was released, I was super excited, because it would make the game more accessible for me. I really had a good time with this one. Metroid has not been one of my all-time favorite series, but I have enjoyed the entries I've played, Zero Mission probably being my favorite. Prime has been a really good time. I found myself scanning things all the time and really enjoyed the loop of learning what was happening on Tallon IV. I think I probably have Prime in between Samus Returns and Zero Mission at the top of my list. (I still have not gotten to Dread or Fusion, but hopefully this year.)

Freddi Fish: Kelp Seed Mystery
Played this Wii version with my fiancee because it was one of her favorites growing up. Took us less than an hour, but it was a fun time nonetheless. Took me back to my own EduTainment games I played as kid. JumpStart was a big one for me. For being a early-age children's the writing and characters stood out, so I can see why the series is still loved and in high regards!

Picross S8
Well, I am caught up with the switch releases of the Picross games (main ones, at least). I still want to check out the Ozbuross crossover, because that looks like it has some unique and fun-looking modes on the nonogram gameplay. Picross remains a great brain-turn-off option for me when I am not in the mood for anything else.

Up Next
I started Cyberpunk 2077 last night on PS5, but looks like my controller is drifting, so that may have to wait. It was much worse than I first thought. Sticking to my switch, I still need to finish the final chapter of Live A Live; and I think I want to get going on either Persona 5 Royal or, heck, Metroid Dread.

I beat Sheepo last night. What a fun, and pleasant surprise. It's a Metroidvania much like the first ori game was. Leans on platforming and abilities more than combat. Highly recommended as I always see it for a fiver on the eshop. It's not terribly long either.

She wasn't sexualised in the original. Damn are people on this site that prudish to think legs equals sexualised? 🤣

@1upShoe I completely agree. Actually she was sexualized in one single scene in Japanese version as I described earlier, but nothing wrong with her outfit

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror (Wii U VC) - A fun GBA title all told, though I didn't end up liking it as much as I thought I would. This is probably the closest Kirby will get to Metroidvania status, though I use that term loosely as everything is given a Kirby twist. This is basically an "open world" seamless platformer where Kirby has to find eight mirror shards to restore a mirror, which acts as a portal to the Mirror World where Meta Knight is held captive. There isn't much in the way of upgrades outside of health hearts. The only way to advance is through exploration and collecting shards while making use of Kirby's different copy abilities. Boss fights range from fun to annoying. IMO It's pretty easy to get lost, and I found the map system pretty confusing. This is an easy recommendation for Kirby fans, especially those who liked The Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star. Not an easy recommendation for Metroidvania lovers though, nor would I recommend it as a "first" Kirby game.

Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (Wii U VC) - Not my first rodeo with Super Mario Bros. 3, though this is the first time I've played this particular version. This was a nice revisit, especially with the polished visuals that are highly reminiscent of my earlier experiences with the Super Mario All-Stars version. What makes this one doubly worth it are all the (mostly) fun, unique e-reader levels included. The original Mario Bros. was a nice bonus too.

Bought, started AND beat Warioware: Smooth Moves for the very first time today! XD

I was waltzing through Tesco on my way home today after seeing the Mario Movie, grabbing some general food stuffs for home, when I happened to stroll into the shop's resident CEX. I figured I'd just browse around for a bit and then head off.... but then I noticed Warioware sitting in the bottom corner of one of the shelves for only €10 and I swear to god something overtook me and:

Questionable financial restraint aside; good lord this game is fantastic.

I played the original Warioware for the very first time back in February when GBA came out on NSO and, while I certainly enjoyed it, it just had one too many problems for me to really get into it (primarily with the visuals). However, I did note that it made me very excited to play future entries for the first time down the line and I can absolutely confirm that that's exactly what's happened with Smooth Moves.

I may as well start this off with the most pivotal part of the game: the controls. Probably the aspect that almost everyone remembers about SM, it genuinely feels like they looked at the glorified toy remote that was the Wiimote and said 'how much can we morph how you use this thing' and absolutely RAN with it. From holding it in one hand like a waiter to literally just putting it on the table and lifting it when the game asks, the sheer amount of variety in control schemes (and how often it asks you to switch between them on the fly) keeps everything feeling fresh and exciting, even if it's a microgame you've already played. Couple this with quite possibly the greatest tutorial screens in gaming history and you have an instant and extremely effective hook.

Other than that then, it's pretty much just the original but better in small yet meaningful ways: the characters have a much more pleasing visual style than the first, microgames now involve 3D in highly creative ways, it introduces a ton more characters (Ashley and Penny my beloveds) and it ramps up the zaniness of the scenarios you'll encounter (with Jimmy T/P's animal entourage being my personal favourite).

To summarise, this is one of the Wii's best short games and something I would highly implore you picking up for yourself if you have a Wii and can get it on the cheap.

9/10, ALL HAIL THE FORM BATON.

@Fizza Coming from someone who bought Smooth Moves (used) and played through it last summer, that price was a steal! It's one of the best WarioWare games IMO, and I've played a majority of them. I second those amazing tutorial sequences, and the credits are fun to mess with as well. XD

"I see the president's equipped his daughter with ballistics too?"
Seems people can't make up their minds about Ashley and what's "wrong" with her design. Sure, there's the upskirt gag, and she calls Leon (and by extension, the player) a pervert for it. There's the fact she's well endowed, and the bonus outfit for her in the OG was a TIGHT cowgirl stripper outfit while Leon had his RCPD uniform. Later versions also gave Leon a gangster outfit to go with the Chicago Typewriter and Ashley a full plate suit that prevented her from being carried away.

Some people (it seems primarily Americans) think that being buxom is automatically being sexualized.