The Backlog Check-in Vol. 13: 3/31/18: Penny-Punching Princess Edition

[argyle]

Games added: Ni no Kuni 2, and some others

Last week: Finished WonderBoy, played Ni no Kuni 2, Attack on Titan 2 & probably some other stuff

This week: Mainly NNK2, of course

Haven't gotten that much time into NNK2 so far, but I have to say it feels more like a merger of the first NNK & Dark Cloud than just a straight-up sequel to NNK. That's not a complaint.

Penny-Punching Princess is the only major release that I see this week. It's an interesting twist on a rogue-like for the Switch. I'm interested in it, but after a price drop.

[Phaseknox]

Played: Far Cry 5

Finished: Nothing

Playing: Far Cry 5

Purchased: Far Cry 5, Firewatch, Get Even, Jak II, Jak 3, Oxenfree

Far Cry 5 is shaping up to be the second best game that I've played this gen, and perhaps the best open world sandbox game that I've played. Not because of the story and characters, but because of the core game. It's just fun to play... period. I know that whenever I pick up the controller to play it that I'm going to have a good time. It's packed with stuff to do, and continuously opens up more to do. And the kicker is that I've only been in one region out of three, and it alone seems big enough with enough content to be a complete game.

While the enemy encounter rate outside of missions is higher than I would like since you can't seem to go five minutes without coming across enemies, they do lend to some of the best unscripted moments in the game. So much crazy, funny and random stuff is constantly happening. I'm also liking the mix of dark and serious with comedy more now, because the game is over-the-top. Just being serious all of the time would grow stale since this is a sandbox game more than a directed one, so it's nice to have some silliness sometimes. But having a voiced character that made comments about the situations that they're in would have added a lot to the experience, because being silent during all of the crazy stuff that happens in the game makes your character feel a little detached from it. I get that the player is supposed to be the character which is why they're silent, but I still feel like I'm playing a character so I would like it if they had a voice.

There's so much to the game that I can't explain everything that makes it so good IMO. But it mainly comes down to looking good, playing good, offering tons of varied stuff to constantly do and just being fun to play. Not to mention having some of the best music that I've experienced in a game as well. As for the faith/religious aspects of it, I'm not Christian so I don't know what aspects of it could be offensive to those who are - but I can say that the cult doesn't represent Christianity in the game. It's represented positively by the pastor of the town's church who's fighting against the cult.

[argyle]

As for the faith/religious aspects of it, I'm not Christian so I don't know what aspects of it could be offensive to those who are - but I can say that the cult doesn't represent Christianity in the game. It's represented positively by the pastor of the town's church who's fighting against the cult.

The fact that they make the distinction is definitely good to hear, and I intend to checkout the link you posted earlier this week to other Christians discussing what they've played of it. Thanks for the impressions.

[canedaddy]

That's high praise, Phase. I forget... what's the best game you've played this gen?

Haven't gotten that much time into NNK2 so far, but I have to say it feels more like a merger of the first NNK & Dark Cloud than just a straight-up sequel to NNK. That's not a complaint.

It sure isn't from my point of view. Great to know there's another game I'll love when I get to it (God willing).

Played this week: The Last Guardian

Finished this week: The Last Guardian

Added to backlog: Planet of the Apes: The Last Frontier

Current backlog: 38 (13 PS4, 11 Vita, 7 PS2, 5 3DS, 2 PS3)

I just finished The Last Guardian... wow. I LOVED it. What a journey with ol' "Tir-ee-ker." If you just take TLG on its merits and don't look at the development craziness, it is the perfect finale to the Ico/SotC trilogy. Like those two it has some issues with the camera and controls, but also like those two it makes up for that a hundred-fold with its mysterious, captivating world and the way it gets you emotionally invested. These games just really stand apart from everything else out there... it's really sad that we'll probably never see anything else on this level from Ueta.

It's a tough call, but TLG might be my favorite of the three games. I assume you all have played it by now? How would you rank them?

[isthatallyougot]

I just finished The Last Guardian... wow. I LOVED it. What a journey with ol' "Tir-ee-ker." If you just take TLG on its merits and don't look at the development craziness, it is the perfect finale to the Ico/SotC trilogy. Like those two it has some issues with the camera and controls, but also like those two it makes up for that a hundred-fold with its mysterious, captivating world and the way it gets you emotionally invested. These games just really stand apart from everything else out there... it's really sad that we'll probably never see anything else on this level from Ueta.

It's a tough call, but TLG might be my favorite of the three games. I assume you all have played it by now? How would you rank them?

Well put.

For me, I'd probably rank them ICO=SOTC>TLG

They're all great though, and I loved TLG, of course, but it's just a smidge below for me. But Trico is the star of the entire trilogy in many ways.

[canedaddy]

Trico is the star of the entire trilogy in many ways.

Yeah... the way they brought him to life is one of the great achievements in video game history, in my book.

I'd probably go TLG = SotC > Ico, but they're all special games.

[Phaseknox]

That's high praise, Phase.

It would be higher praise coming from someone like argyle who's played all of the big games that have come out so far this generation, I've only played a few. But yeah, it's still high praise.

I forget... what's the best game you've played this gen?

The Last of Us Remastered

TLG might be my favorite of the three games. I assume you all have played it by now? How would you rank them?

TLG > ICO > SOTC

[argyle]

TLG > ICO > SOTC

This.

Haven't really felt like playing much today, but I booted up The Mummy Remastered for an hour or so earlier this evening. It's an excellent Metroidvania, very well done. It's by WayForward tho, so no huge surprise there. Feels like this is going to be another one of those sorta-movie tie-ins that turns out really good like Scott Pilgrim last gen.

[canedaddy]

Wow, nice to see you all share my love for TLG.

I started Uncharted: Lost Legacy yesterday and that's pretty dang great too.

[jfissel]

Finished: Virtue's Last Reward (my own set of choices)

Now Playing: Virtue's Last Reward (trying to check out other endings and branches of the story

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 30 games

As far as the Team Ico game rankings, I'm going with SotC > TLG > Ico. I really need to play TLG again, but I think Shadow of the Colossus is my favorite (I own 3 versions of that game, lol).