Topic: Last Game You Beat

@Pastellioli I have always felt clueless without maps and bad at memorising a level layout, but I think that's one thing I've improved as I grew older, but relying more on visual memory. It's funny how different brains can be and how I managed to make up for my weakest skills. I hate dungeons crawlers and confusing Metroid-like games.

When you get through games that reward you, it makes you feel good. Once it clicks, you enjoy more the controls and mechanics and celebrate your accomplishment because of the difficulties you have overcome. I have given few games up. Lately, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, because I was not enjoying it and I felt that the game was not focused but trying to do everything while not being really entertaining nor rewarding, but I liked and beat the first entry.

I stopped playing Sonic Heroes because there is a level in the jungle where the camera changes, you can't stop, controls are fidgety and you don't know where and how you are supposed to go. I decided to stop playing it because every time I reached that part I died and I knew there would be more infuriating sections with bad camera and controls that wouldn't depend on my skills as a player. Another game I gave up was Sonic Advance 2, because of the awfully punishing level design, but one night about a month ago, I beat Sky Canyon with Cream after many tries memorising the level and then I beat it with the rest of the characters and then the whole game. It's the Sonic 2D game that I would recommend the least, but I enjoyed being able to beat it.

@Banjo- There’s this rhythm game on my phone that I’ve played for nearly two years and it’s also giving me the same feeling right now lol. It’s fun when you time your taps to the music correctly and get full combos but stinks when you can’t do any of that, but it just takes time to get used to it. Even though I can’t play the game the best anymore, I can at least play better than how I used to when I first started it. Conker’s Bad Fur Day made me feel the exact same way three times during parts of the game when I tried it for the first time in September and I was so close to dropping it, but I am so glad I didn’t and kept trying. It was so rewarding surviving the one-hit kill blades, winning the badly-designed and janky lava race and the entire War chapter. Diddy Kong Racing also did something similar since I couldn’t beat the first boss thanks to how bad the emulator’s controls were, but guess what? I actually won the boss race a few days ago!

Also, on an unrelated note, I just started Perfect Dark Zero a few hours ago and it’s pretty good so far even though I haven’t made a lot of progress on it. It improves on a lot of the issues I had with the first game, and the cover mechanic is actually REALLY helpful. I did change the control style since the original PD control scheme the game had on was weird and made it almost unplayable for me. The game is a bit cheesy but it’s the good type of cheesy; the way the antagonist escapes during the ending cutscene for mission 1 made me burst out laughing.

@Pastellioli Conker's Bad Fur Day has some tricky sections, indeed. I still have to play the Xbox version. I'm busy with Final Fantasy XIII-2 and then I need to play Octopath Traveller II on Game Pass since I'm always subscribed and I loved the first one. Then, there is Final Fantasy XIII Lighting Returns. So many games to play, new and old!

I'm glad that you decided to play Perfect Dark Zero after Perfect Dark and that you're liking it so far. When I was kid, I was not able to beat Diddy Kong Racing, but I did some time later, when I read something I have posted many times since. You need to release the accelerator button just before a boost to enhance it. This is the only way that Wizpig can be beaten, at least as Conker.

@Banjo- You do seem to have a lot of video games on your plate! Hope you have fun. I sort of do too with both Nuts and Bolts and Perfect Dark Zero! Let’s hope that my playthroughs of them go well. I am using Conker in my playthrough of Diddy Kong Racing, though mostly because of how much of a fan I am of Bad Fur Day and cause of how cute he is in DKR.

And when you say Xbox version of Conker, are you referring to the port of the original in Rare Replay or the remake? Just curious.

@Pastellioli I was missing one, but now I have all the achievements of the Rare Replay version 🙌. The Xbox remake, Conker Live & Reloaded, is the one I haven't played yet. I have so many games to play because I got my first Xbox (Xbox One) when Rare Replay was released, so I have a lot of Xbox 360 games I want to play on top of everything else. I had (and still have) a PS4 before the Xbox One where I played all the Kingdom Hearts games (almost 100%, exhausting and pointless) except III that I played on Xbox (Game Pass).

In the last years, I have been playing all the Kingdom Hearts (including the two DS games), all the Halo and Gears of War, plus Assassin's Creed in release order (IV would be next, waiting for the remake), Persona, Final Fantasy, the few Nintendo games worth getting that are not ports, things I'm probably forgetting and I still haven't started with Yakuza and Dragon Quest (except 4 that I played on DS years ago). There is so much I find interesting, so I play one at a time that I think that I really like and prioritise. I have also played Fortnite and Sea of Thieves a lot and they are basically endless.

The best thing about Game Pass is being able to drop what I don't like. I liked the first Ni No Kuni and I beat it, but I quitted and erased the sequel. Now, I only buy games I'm a fan of, everything else is try on Game Pass if available. The library is huge as it is 😁. The only games I can't wait to see in my library are more Project Zero/Fatal Frame remasters and the rest of the Final Fantasy games: Pixel Remaster collection, VII remakes and XVI. Obviously, I'm excited about future Xbox games like Perfect Dark 3, Fable IV, Gears of War E-Day, Doom The Dark Ages...

@Banjo- I am glad I helped you with getting the last achievement in the Rare Replay version! I think you will like the Conker remake despite some of the negative stuff I did mention about it a few months ago. It’s minor really. I would even say Live and Reloaded is the better version in terms of its controls and how it makes attempts to be less repetitive. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it once you get onto it! I can’t get enough of that drunk red squirrel for some reason

I haven’t really played any other games alongside the Rare games besides that rhythm game I keep mentioning. I have occasionally opened up Fire Emblem Heroes on my phone, but it sort of has a badly written story and strategy games aren’t really something I play a lot. It isn’t entirely bad, but not one I would really recommend or say is a must play. I do want to go back to playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and spamming Wonderwing on CPUs as Banjo & Kazooie, but I don’t know when I can go back to playing it, since I don’t have my Switch right now.

Game Pass definitely can be helpful with deciding what games to buy, since you are allowed to give them a go at a low price. When the Perfect Dark reboot drops, I’ll probably use Game Pass for it and if I like it, I’ll buy it! Like you, I also only buy games if it’s ones that I like a lot. After I finished Bad Fur Day in October, I bought the remake a month later with no hesitation, since I liked the original a bunch and knew I would like the remake anyway despite what some people said about it, though I didn’t complete it until January this year. I remember the day I finished it!

What is the name of that mysterious rhythm game? My intention is to beat and try to get 100% in all the games included in Rare Replay and Conker Live & Reloaded, that I'm sure I'll love because I love the original one. I have read about it and it is the most advanced N64 game graphically and the Rare Replay version shows that quality in HD. I found the gameplay entertaining, I enjoyed the politically incorrect writing and I liked the linear story after being overwhelmed by Donkey Kong 64 because of the full completion I did on Wii U.

I wonder where games and art in general are going if the creativity and freedom of artists is increasingly restricted by the current society and auto censorship. It's at least worth thinking about, because you read and watch stuff from the 90s and noughties and it's incredibly shocking and at the same time refreshing and funny. I wonder if future generations will read about the current time as a somehow conservative period regarding freedom of expression and such.

@Banjo- it’s a game called Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! and I’ve been playing it for almost two years now. It’s a bit difficult since I play on one of the two harder modes and play it fast, but I have fun playing it in short sessions. It has great music and I am a huge fan of Japanese music, but it’s a localization of a Japanese game, so the version I play has less content. They are adding a song I really love into the Japanese version next month and I’m so sad I have to wait a year for it in the English version…

I do love art and I even do draw, so I absolutely love creativity and I hate seeing people being restricted with it nowadays, and I keep hearing stories about people working on animated shows (usually ones for kids and teens) being told to remove things they want to show, when what they want to include in the show isn’t even offensive at all. I think 90s-00s media is really fun and interesting, and it seemed to be super relaxed with what could be shown or talked about. I only think actually hateful and awful things should not be allowed, since they are made to upset people and spread harmful messages. Conker wasn’t any of those, and I do think the censoring they did in Live and Reloaded was a bit silly with the cussing and a tad bit restrictive of its creativity, since the original version was going to all be about being uncut.

@Pastellioli I agree completely with everything that you wrote. Relaxed is a very good definition of how things were not long ago. Of course, only hateful things should be censored. I also remember the last scene of Conker's Bad Fur Day! Not just Conker but Banjo, Kazooie, Cranky Kong... They all are awesome and stay in my heart unlike most video game characters. The music, the graphics, the characters and the fun are things that make Rare's games special. If you haven't, you're going to have to add Viva Piñata to your play list!

@Banjo- Agreed, I also cannot stop thinking about Conker or a lot of Rare’s games! I think it’s pretty rare for a game to stick with me after playing it. I think another thing that made Conker so memorable to me was the message it had at the end in spite of how lighthearted and raunchy it made itself to be for the entire game besides the characters, story, and gameplay. I won’t go into it, but I have issues related to materialism, and the message basically being “appreciate the people around you and the stuff you already have instead of wanting more of it” and how some things may not be like what they seem made me connect with it and even the main character somewhat, since the way he acts with money and getting easily distracted by it is something I similarly do, though it’s more with items than money.

I played the first Viva Piñata and some of its sequel and did make some progress with the first one, but I sort of screwed up while playing it, since I forgot to put fences around the garden and about two of my piñatas got destroyed, and it’s a bit difficult right now to make money to buy more fences. On top of that, I’m trying to get a Doenut as a resident piñata and even have the stuff for it, but it always isn’t attracted and keeps leaving! I don’t know if I should revisit my garden or start a new playthrough because of the mistakes I’ve made, but I think that would be pointless and undo a lot of my progress.

I wish they’d port Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X outside the ps4. That one was my favorite.

@Yousef- I would love if they did that. I already do play a Hatsune Miku rhythm game on my phone, but haven’t played the Project DIVA games and have been wanting to, but they never ported them to Xbox and I don’t have a Switch or PlayStation right now…There was a spin-off on the 3DS that I did want for a while, but I never got to buy it off the eShop before they closed it. I really don’t like how in the game I play the virtual singer characters are basically side characters, since the Vocaloid songs and characters are the only reason why I downloaded the game, plus the version I play is slow with updates and take a while to add songs I really want to play. It’s significantly behind the Japanese version.

I remember that and the message about war. The most important things in life are experiences and feelings. The proof is that richer people aren't happier. Now I remember that we have talked about Viva Piñata before. It's been a long time since I played it but, like Nuts and Bolts, it's a game that gets easier and more fun the more you play it because it becomes much easier to protect your garden. One thing I do recommend is focusing on breeding one species at a time, because when you have seven of each, you unlock an achievement. Then you can use them for other purposes and even summon them later if you need or want them. You don't need to start a new file at all, you can modify and improve your garden anytime. Whenever you decide to play Viva Piñata, take your time. There are some stressful moments if you try to do things quickly, but as you progress everything becomes doable, charming, fun and rewarding. The soundtrack is beautiful.

@Banjo- It is really surprising that a game that is supposed to be super raunchy had a very important message. I didn’t think about it much when I finished the game and sort of wrote it off, but when I started to realize how materialistic I was a few months ago this year, I started thinking about the game’s final scene more and how Conker acts throughout the game, since I feel the way he acts is similar to how I act with items and money; he initially makes it his goal to get back home as soon as possible to rest and to see his girlfriend but after he is given money by the queen bee, he gets distracted by it and only helps people for cash because he wants to be a millionaire, which he realizes isn’t worth it in the end. I just think the game is amazing with its writing, and it’s definitely a message I needed to hear and will definitely remember.

Ok, I’ll remember your advice when I play it again. I actually have a four member family of Squazzils and Whirlms are very easy to grow and breed, so I probably need to do that for the rest of the piñatas I have. I do tend to forget that some games like that are supposed to be slower paced and relaxed.

@Pastellioli It is. Some messages have stayed with me after playing certain games, mostly things about childhood and family. I'm glad that this message got through to you! Are you playing Perfect Dark Zero?

@Banjo- I am playing Zero, but I haven’t touched it in maybe two days and I’m still on the second mission, though I’ll probably play it later today. Still like it, and I am pretty fond of the aesthetic the game is giving off. Don’t mind how much more cheesier the game is, since I actually like it! I am hoping I can finish it faster than the first Perfect Dark, but I don’t think I should rush it.

Hellblade 2 - Not as good as the first one

What did I think about the game? Well to be honest I was mostly disappointed.. Why?
Because I did think that the game was quite repetitive and the game play a little boring tho. While wanted to really like the game, it did felt to me like it took several steps backwards compared to the first game in the series, which I of course did find very unfortunate.

At least the nice graphics and environments was left intact from the first game. Also the game had just as first one some nice puzzles which did make it feel a little bit like Tomb Raider. Would state this aspect of the game as Hellblade 2 strongest merits.

I hope that Ninja theory get another chance to develop a new game. Hopefully something more ambitious and a little longer then Hellbalde 2. Not sure if can except some DLC for this title soon? Is it possible that Ninja Theory got something in store for us? I mean the studio was generous to include a NG+ mode this time (have have not had time played it yet though). Also the Photo Mode was very nice this time, to.. Just as in the first game you can spend some time taking very nice pictures if you like. Would be to have a place to share it. But yeah as usual the companies dont want you to do that hehe (guess it would take up much storage space for them to host the pictures)..

Dont understand how it took a Microsoft owned studio like Ninja Theory so long to develop this title given how short the game was. Partly because of the long development time I had expected a longer game then first one but yeah it was shorter for some reason.. So maybe not the best game around. But it had some merits (even though I would say that it did not make up for the shortcomings).

@Pastellioli I see you're having a good time with Perfect Dark Zero already 😁.
I just remembered Jet Force Gemini. Once I got used to the controls and aiming, that are better on Xbox than on Nintendo, it's one of the best gaming times I've ever had. Another one I would recommend!

@oliverp I wrote on this thread about Hellblade I and II. I also liked the first one more, especially because of the better combat, but I hated one section in the first game. The sequel is very impressive and a bit shorter, so I'd still recommend it. They took a long time because they were getting used to Unreal Engine 5. Hellblade II is considered the first game to make the most of it. I've never seen a more realistic torch. Since Hellblade II is relatively short and linear, they got a game earlier. Unlike Epic, The Coalition and Id, they are not experts in Unreal Engine. I expect great things from The Coalition and Id and I bet that Ninja Theory's next game will be better, because they already know how to use the new engine. It's called Project: Mara, for now.

@Banjo- Maybe I could put that on my backlog after I finish Zero possibly today. I am having so much fun with it!

Perfect Dark Zero

Just finished the game right now, and holy moly that was fun and so ridiculous. After finishing the first Perfect Dark, I had initially decided to play through Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, but I was recommended to play the prequel to Perfect Dark instead since I was used to the gameplay after finishing the first, plus some of the people on here were curious to know how I would feel about Zero. Before I played both Perfect Dark games, I knew the general consensus on them: the first game was the good game and Zero was the bad game. I didn’t exactly know why Zero got the mixed to negative reception it did (since at the time I had no interest in playing it) but despite the reception it got, I played it and absolutely loved it.

The game still retained its signature gunplay and gadgetry in its gameplay, but I’d say it is better than the first game. The aiming is more precise, which allowed for me to shoot accurately compared to the first game, where I found the gun aiming to be off and sometimes go off-center when I tried to get precise shots.

I love the new mechanics it introduced, including the ability to take cover and shoot, which was super helpful and something I would have liked in the first game. There was also the ability to dodge and roll, which helped when I was in close combat with an enemy and needed to stall time to reload my guns or regain health. The biggest improvement by far has got to be the objectives; they are more clearer, and they tell you when to use a gadget to accomplish a certain task, whereas the original didn’t have any indications on what tools to use and I had to heavily rely on YouTube videos and even random comments on the internet.

The level layouts are better, but some did get a little confusing by the end by how bigger they got, so I spent extra time on them. I can recall getting super confused in missions 9 and 10 from how big they were, not to mention some of the lush scenery and plants covered up a bunch of areas I needed to get to. However, the game combats the confusion by placing these tracker marks you can follow if you are stuck for too long, which was helpful for newcomers like me and a welcome addition. I think Zero is an improvement over the first with its gameplay, alongside some new additions that I would consider to be QoL improvements.

And, probably my most favorite part not related to the gameplay, would be how freaking cheesy they made Zero. The most common criticism I saw for Zero was the fact that it did not look or feel like a prequel to Perfect Dark, as Zero did not have the same serious tone or spy aesthetic, as well as lacking extraterrestrial life and aliens that the original had later on, with the obvious changes being seen in the visuals and art style change in Zero. I do agree that Zero doesn’t look or feel like it’s related to Perfect Dark, but the tonal change didn’t really make me disappointed and it actually made me laugh from how absurd it was, and it even enhanced my experience with the game.

The character designs are sometimes ridiculous, like Carrington and Mai Hem (the former who wears a kilt the entire time and the latter looking like she came from a fantasy manga or comic), Joanna looks like she walked out of a 2000s Disney Channel sitcom, the voice acting is so campy and full of one-liners (especially with scenes featuring Mai Hem or Joanna’s dad), and has a couple of moments that are so weird and made me burst out laughing, like how mission 7 opens up with a one-note duo of goofy-looking cowboys with sci-fi firearms getting into a gunfight with Joanna in a futuristic facility and there being no description for that part of the mission and it not being questioned afterward or the final battle where the antagonist bears a slight resemblance to a Titan from Attack on Titan and him repeatedly jumping and walking on pieces of a broken coliseum floating in a starry-looking space background and randomly summoning corpses that ragdoll when he throws them at you. Mai Hem’s reaction after you defeat her in a simulation was somewhat goofy with how exaggerated her lines were and how the cutscene was done, not to mention what she says to Joanna when they face off in Africa was so funny because of how hard she attempts to sound dramatic and serious. Those parts made me laugh a lot, and a lot of these are not what you’d expect to see in a Perfect Dark game, but the execution of these all just made for a more memorable experience and provided a LOT of comedy for me from how exaggerated, unfitting, and so campy it was and how the game tried to take itself seriously with its story all the while having stuff like that. I wouldn’t say the story or characters are deep like with the previous entry, but I don’t mind it!

I would say I had a good time with it. It was such an improvement on the first game with its gameplay and mechanics, and I loved the cheesiness it brought while attempting to tell a serious story, and it is a little sad that a lot of people weren’t fans of it, but that’s fine and understandable. Now having played all of the current Perfect Dark games, I am looking forward to seeing what the reboot does and if it will be close to the first game somewhat. I’m now a bit nervous to move onto Nuts and Bolts now that I’m getting so used to playing shooter games haha.