PS2 Backlog Committee

Well, I guess it's that time of year again for me. Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing this, but some part of me either enjoys or is compelled to organize and rank things while reflecting on my feelings about them. And while I do it for myself, I figure I may as well share with you old friends as well.

I will say that I plan to take things at a *MUCH* slower pace this year. Sometimes I have felt like it was more work than fun at times in the past when I hurried myself more than I would have liked. So, you can probably expect an entry every week or thereabouts. Maybe I'll finish in time for my 2025 year in review.

I always like to offer a refresher of how I score things, adding a bit of a different explanation each time. So, here's a summary. I always use a 5-star scale. I feel like it is more than sufficient to capture the essence of my subjective appreciation of a game. Any further separation or fine-tuning will be simply how games rank relative to one another in any given category. I don't understand 10 point or, god forbid, 100 point scales. Who can possibly differentiate such minutiae with any degree of accuracy or confidence? Maybe I'm just simple minded.

So:

1-Star : Crap, avoid
2-Star : Not a good game, but may have some positive qualities and potential
3-Star : This is average, and average, if you enjoy a thing, is generally pretty good. I love games, and an average video game is a pretty good time to me. Most games fall in this category simply via relative context. I may not be in love with these, but they were nevertheless worth playing.
4-Star : Very good game. This is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe it didn't hit the highest of highs or if so, without enough consistency. But make no mistake, this was a really good and memorable time.
5-Star : The best of the best. These are the games I dream of playing. They may not be "perfect", but such notions are a bit silly. If a game connected with me strongly and consistently, if it's a game I couldn't wait to fire up, if it stayed in my thoughts and awareness even when away from the screen and controller, you'll find it in this category.

Finally, I'll start this set of reviews with any replays from the year prior to getting in the rankings. I usually don't like ranking games that I'm revisiting in the year end countdown, but they deserve acknowledgement because if I'm interested in playing a game that I've already played, it's safe to say that I really enjoyed it. *The games I have replayed are NOT ranked relative to each other.

Oh, and one final thing. I tried to keep track of hours played for everything so that I can see clearly how much of my life I'm wasting. In a few cases I had to estimate because of a lack of a timer for a title.

And if any of you guys feel like chiming in, don't be shy. I'm happy to hear how wrong (or right, however unlikely) I may be.

REPLAY #1

Ratchet and Clank (PS2) (2002) (Play time 36 hours)



When the PS2 came out, I was probably at the highest point of excitement I had felt for the medium of video games to that point. And in some ways, there was a magic to that moment in time that won't ever be surpassed for me. I had seriously gotten back into video games with the PS1 despite dabbling with and sampling gaming from time to time with the SNES/Genesis era. But the PS2 just landed at a point in my own life relative to my arc with this medium that it carried such a sense of impact that is hard to describe. I felt as if it aligned with time at a point where it was ready to both take over my personal world along with the gaming world at large, and so it, in retrospect, certainly did. I waited for the midnight launch, which I think ended up being closer to 2 AM, so high were my levels of excitement. I had already bought a couple of games for this machine, games that were strangely available prior to the device itself. It truly felt like a landmark moment for a person whose love for games had reignited from a delicate smoldering ember and was ready to full-on blaze once again. And apparently this must have been a relatively common set of circumstances, at least judging by the ultimate, and unprecedented, success of that incredible console. So many wonderful games eventually released for this machine,  seemingly endless waves of variety and experimentation that pushed the medium in so many interesting and compelling directions - a library of games that at least *feels* virtually endless. And I have continued to play the PS2 over the years up through today. In fact, it is a personal commitment of mine to play a minimum of one PS2 game each year, and I have done so even well after the end of the PS2's mainstream life cycle. I both play new (to me) titles as well as revisiting some old favorites. This year, one of the games I played was a real classic that really emphasized the leap this medium had taken to me, and that is the original Ratchet and Clank.

There are so many great things I can say about this series and initial installment, more specifically. The first thing that really struck me playing it at launch was just the absolutely stunning visual presentation. I couldn't believe how colorful, sharp, and vast (in feel) this game world was. The concept of flying throughout a galaxy from planet to planet, places that were incredibly different, naturally, was an excellent idea and executed with such skill. This fundamental idea allowed for such a playful approach to locales and enemies, and to this day, I get all giddy just playing any entry in this series because of the general premise, which I have always found so fun.

Another thing I love about R&C is that it took the mascot platformer genre and sort of expanded upon the idea of simply running and jumping and added in weaponry. The variety of the arsenal available in this series is both unique and fun to play around with. In this initial franchise entry we already had some classics like the morph-o-ray to turn foes into chickens, the tesla claw, which shot this arc of electricity to fry all the goons, and of course the RYNO which, while pricey, really made quick work of any situation. And that's just scratching the surface of this fun set of guns. And besides that, there are a fun set of tools like jetpacks, grind boots, and hook shots, only to mention a few, that add variety and assistance in this duo's journey across the galaxy.

I also really found the presentation to be excellent. Insomniac did a really good job of incorporating a fun story about overthrowing greed, corruption, and totalitarian despots, and they did it with a great sense of humor and characters that were as fun in this replay as they were back then. I really like how they touched on real-world problems and issues with both wit and charm. And there was also a nice amount of sly and subtle adult humor to be found for those who were old enough to appreciate/recognize it. There was this great intersection of concepts and execution that gave everything such a broad appeal, and I suppose that is evidenced by the long run of success this franchise has had. And musically, the soundtrack really fit the action with mechanical and futuristic-flavored tunes that added nicely to the overall vibe. And speaking of sound, the clinking and ringing (along with the "vacuuming" visual element) of all the bolt hoovering tickles a part of my brain that feels like I'm being hypnotized, lol. I can't get enough of that ish! This aspect must have been crafted by some casino engineer gurus, lol.

If I must mention some lesser aspects, which I feel is only fair, I will say that the humor can, at times, skew a bit “teen-edge.” I'm still a kid at heart, though, so this aspect didn't really bother me, but I can see how the tone may not resonate with some. Also, the basic platforming is perfectly functional, but it can feel a bit loose and imprecise at times. This is more of an action-platformer, of course, rather than a pure example of “just” platforming. There was also not enough Captain Quark in this original entry, something I had forgotten over the years. However, Insomniac quickly recognized this mistake along with the potential of this character and thankfully remedied this issue in future installments. There were also some instances where the camera could be problematic. It wasn't a frequent occurrence and something you expect in most games with a 3D with a user-controlled perspective, but there were some cases where your point of view wasn't ideal, and it wasn't easy to remedy manually. There was also no lock-on targeting and strafing in this first entry, which makes it feel a bit lesser mechanically than future entries. Combat worked fine, but it is an element that was missed. And while you could unlock more powerful “Gold” versions of your weapons, there was no weapon leveling like future installments brought to the party. And I always enjoyed that feeling of incrementally growing in power with your arsenal that would come as this series evolved.

But those downsides are all very small relative to the overall package. This series offers just an incredibly fun formula. It's not complex in structure, although it provides a nice sense of progression as you explore and increase your power and expand your arsenal. Even though I would probably rate this as the lowest of the mainline entries in relative terms, that should not be taken as a slight as it's still easily an all-time classic for me. They clearly already had the formula down, and it was just a matter of refinement and expansion on those ideas. And what a fun recipe it is! There is a wonderful pacing where you constantly get new gadgets, weapons, planets to explore, secrets to find, etc. There's just this addictive package for me in this series. There's always something new to do or see, and the moment-to-moment engagement is rewarding on a consistent basis - breaking stuff, exploding things, crazy weapons, hoverboard races, evil villains, becoming the hero on a vast cosmic scale - really a teenage (or young-at-heart's) fantasy. It's just a consistent series of positive and fun reinforcements where you're never doing any one thing for too long. There's a really fun blending of comedy, adventure, and action that is truly the total package as far as I'm concerned. And not that comparisons are necessary, but as good as Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper were on the PS2 as well, they were never in the same league as R&C for me - a series that has always been a tier above. And, as stated, the formula only got better from here. The barrier to just having fun is always remarkably low here, and I just find this series to be a bit of catnip relative to my sense of a good time. It just ticks so many boxes of what my brain finds engaging and keeps firing those reinforcements consistently across the game and series. Digital crack! And I was a bit surprised at how familiar most everything felt after more than two decades. It really speaks to the impact this game must have had on me at the time that the memory of details became so ingrained. When all was said and done on this revisit, I played for 36 hours across multiple runs, found all 40 gold bolts, and about half the skill points. I was intending to get everything on my own, but when I looked up what unlockables I was missing, I was only really interested in a making-of video that I just watched on YouTube. But the fact that this game held my attention and interest for almost 40 hours really speaks to how much I love it. An unquestionable 5/5 for me.

Here we go!

That's a great way to kick things off. What a fun game.

canedaddy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 10:56 am Here we go!

That's a great way to kick things off. What a fun game.

Yeah, the whole series is just *chef's kiss* levels of fun!

Replay #2

The Pinball Arcade (PC) (2013) (roughly 15-20 hours. I forgot to keep close track since I played some earlier this year and then only again recently.)



I think I may have mentioned that The Pinball Arcade (or other virtual pinball simulations) may as well be default listings on my yearly titles played. However, for most of this year, I strangely didn't play much pinball at all. After a long break, I jumped back in and got sucked in as I always do. I truly adore pinball, and even though virtual recreations don't quite capture the *exact* same magic, they're close enough for a person who wouldn't want to dedicate the space (or endless maintenance) required for a real machine. Another odd thing that was reinforced in my mind via my time with this title this year was the idea of subconscious learning and improvement when taking a break from something. I hadn't played the Addams' Family machine in a long time, but when I fired it up recently this year, I initially had two very low, pathetic scores, and then on only the third virtual quarter, I absolutely *obliterated* my all-time best. It's funny how the mind sort of sorts things out when given a break to digest things. What a weird thing, but something I've noticed in other areas of life as well. But yeah, it's pinball; not too much explanation or in-depth analysis is necessary (even though I could do that ), but I can't get enough. I'll play as long as I play video games. And these digital recreations of real-life tables are oh so sweet and always transport me to the feel of youth. 5/5 as always. 

I have a confession: I HATED the original R&C when I played it. I bought it the first week, beat it, and can't remember exactly why but I sold it immediately after beating it. I really could not stand it. Played it again a couple years later because I needed something for a buy 2 get 1 at Gamestop. I think at the time I wanted to know why I hated it so because I had played the sequel a bit and loved it. I wanted to start from the beginning. Now R&C just about the only reason i need a Playstation at all and A Crack In Time (aka Clockblockers) is one of my GOAT games, easily top 10. I went through your post but I still can't remember why I hated it so. If anything, it's probably that Ratchet is just such a little prick in the first game and that just absolutely rubbed me the wrong way. That's all I can think of anyway. Glad I came around on the game because I love the series so much now!

crimson_tide wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 2:58 pm I have a confession: I HATED the original R&C when I played it. I bought it the first week, beat it, and can't remember exactly why but I sold it immediately after beating it. I really could not stand it. Played it again a couple years later because I needed something for a buy 2 get 1 at Gamestop. I think at the time I wanted to know why I hated it so because I had played the sequel a bit and loved it. I wanted to start from the beginning. Now R&C just about the only reason i need a Playstation at all and A Crack In Time (aka Clockblockers) is one of my GOAT games, easily top 10. I went through your post but I still can't remember why I hated it so. If anything, it's probably that Ratchet is just such a little prick in the first game and that just absolutely rubbed me the wrong way. That's all I can think of anyway. Glad I came around on the game because I love the series so much now!

I'm going to have to label you the same as argyle when he expressed similar sentiments. You...you...ROBOT LOVER!





*to be fair, Clank is surely adorable.

Replay #3

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1) (1999) (play-time 19 hour 41 minutes)



I may have expressed my love for the Resident Evil franchise before, but to place it in a bit of context, it was surely one of the most formative experiences in my gaming “renewal” after a fairly lengthy stretch of mostly casual and sporadic play. In fact, in many ways, I didn't *really* become a “hard core” gamer until the arrival of the PS1. I had an NES and a Genesis, and an Atari 2600 way back in the day, and I always really enjoyed gaming, but I was busy with other pursuits and interests that minimized the amount of time I gave to what, ultimately, has become my favorite pastime. The momentum of my life during youth and its activities, coupled with a parent that was decidedly against this hobby when I was younger, found me foregoing this natural pull, at least to the extent I would have likely otherwise enjoyed. But when the PS1 released, I had already become an independent adult, and for a good while, and I found myself wanting to return to this natural love. Coming from the Genesis as my gaming platform, I remember the decision I had to make between the Saturn and the PS1 and being slightly torn, if only for a while. It didn't take long, however, before I realized that Sony's new machine had the sauce I was looking for, and so on its release date of 9/9/95, I picked up one for my brother-in-law-to-be and one for myself. It's hard to convey just how excited I was. I felt this sense of liberation from ingrained conditioning against the full expression of my love for this medium. We can often carry with us the voices and expectations of the influential figures in our lives, parents or otherwise, and without consciously considering those factors for a long while, I finally realized that I had been depriving myself of this full joy due to conditions that were no longer present. I was eager to fully embrace a renewed and unfettered love for gaming. And so I did and have continued to do so ever since.

In the early days of PS1, and in the context of my resurgence with this hobby, I was eager to explore and discover what I'd been missing. And while there were magazines and early online sources, both of which I did utilize, I was still in the old mindset of walking into a store, browsing, and picking out something to play via simple direct contact. The packaging (or word of mouth) used to be the only thing to really sell a game, and I loved looking around and exploring game covers and back-of-the-box shots and bullet points. Well, I already had a few games for the fledgling console and was quite enjoying myself. This new dimension was quite literally like a whole new world, given both my own experiences in gaming as well as the nature of the medium in general prior to the advent of the 3rd dimension. So on one trip to a local mall, I was looking for something new to feed my machine, and I picked up a box that really captured my attention. On the front was a man with a shotgun who was obviously in great distress and surrounded by enemies and chaos. I thought, “Oh, let me take a closer look.” And then I flipped over to the backside and saw imagery that blew my ignorant little mind. The screens from the game seemed impossible, especially in relation to everything else I'd seen so far. The visuals were sharp and detailed and conveyed imagery that indicated a tense and potentially frightening adventure. I truly couldn't believe what I was looking at, especially in comparison to what I'd experienced to that point, and I knew I had to have it immediately. (I also picked up NBA Shootout on that same day, a good-looking game that didn't live up to the packaging, but that's another story.) And to make a long story short, I was not disappointed with that decision. I was stunned by Resident Evil 1, and relative to all the gaming I'd experienced prior, this seemed to truly be on another level. (at the very least in terms of presentation) And since that first experience with the series, I've always loved every mainline entry I've played as well as some offshoots.

So, what exactly is it that I find so compelling? Well, in the first place, and as mentioned, it really was a level-up in terms of visuals and game worlds. (I knew nothing of pre-rendered vs. real-time back in the day. I may have read a bit about it, but I didn't get into the nuts and bolts of things too much. I just wanted to play fun games.) I'm not sure who the first developer was to use pre-rendered environments, but it was a clever idea to maximize hardware capabilities that allowed for greater resource allocation to the real-time assets while simultaneously offering greater visual fidelity. There are tradeoffs to be fair. There can be a feeling of disconnection to the environment to a degree as you feel like you're moving your character over a series of still shots, appropriately enough. And then there's the issue of camera angles being fixed which, in an action game, can make locating and targeting foes problematic in spots as well as causing some navigational disorientation at times. But the net effect is worth the sacrifices when it's done well, and it most certainly is within the Resident Evil franchise. The level of immersion and sense of place is magnified to an enormous degree due to the added detail, and it almost made games of this type feel like they were coming from a future generation of hardware, if only visually. Besides the aesthetics, I've always loved the general formula of this series. Mechanically, there's a game about shooting the undead, married to resource management and frugality as you attempt to impart damage to your enemies while simultaneously minimizing loss of health and ammo reserves. This tension makes all your decisions feel impactful as you juggle limited inventory space and make choices about whether to try and avoid threats or deal with them via force. And on first runs of any of these games, you won't know how much ammo reserves you'll need to progress, and so you find yourself erring on the side of caution, which gives all the running from and weaving in and out of pursuing foes a really heightened level of intensity. Compounding this tension wonderfully is the use of a limited save system in the form of ink ribbons that presses you to push forward to spare this vital resource while adding a sense of consequence, knowing that if you die along the way, you're going to be sent all the way back to the last typewriter you utilized. Reaching a save room with that comforting music informing you of your safety and knowing that you can reorganize your items, heal up, and save is such a beautiful reprieve from the chaos. All this tension is mitigated to a large extent on repeat playthroughs, knowing what you've got in front of you and the amount of resources you'll have at your disposal, but it's nevertheless wonderfully done, especially for initial plays.

Practical structure aside, I've always really enjoyed the narrative and premise of this franchise. To be clear, generally speaking, this series has always had an *odd* tone. There's plenty of seriousness in the text files/documents and the suggestions of a shadowy network of sinister string-pullers behind the scenes, along with quite a large amount of interesting series lore, but the dialogue, both in terms of writing and voiced execution, is most often quite a jarring contrast to the elements that carry a more grounded and dark vibe. And many of the characters are just strange, seeming to be more at home in a light-hearted comic universe despite the weighty tone of much of the narrative. Just a peculiar flavor. But if you can allow yourself to indulge in the over-the-top and ridiculous, there's plenty of entertainment to be found in the absurd with this series. In terms of general premise, though, I love the idea of corrupt and exploitive corporations and governments intermingling, becoming the type of entities that excite the conspiratorial sensibilities within. I certainly find the *seeds* of truth within that general conceit and consider them unsettlingly relevant in this day and age - perhaps in all ages. But there's plenty of room for drama and intrigue, given the overall foundations of Umbrella and its bedfellows with all their unethical genetic experiments and manipulations pressing the boundaries of the idea of *life* along with the mutations born from those unnatural workings. There's just a rich backdrop for a deep and playful universe that is both sinister and light-hearted and often incredibly interesting and compelling, both in spite of and because of its quirky charms.

As for specifics in regards to this particular entry, we have the titular Nemesis that is a constant threat throughout. Not only is his unpredictability in terms of appearances an exciting and stressful idea, but when we encounter him, he's incredibly quick, deals out severe punishment, takes a lot of damage if you choose to confront him, and even packs a rocket launcher in spots. He can pursue you beyond the rooms in which he first appears, a shocking (for the time) realization. He's a formidable foe indeed, and having him suddenly appear is a nice adrenaline surge for the survival horror fan. Even with unlimited ammo at your disposal (if such weapons have been earned), he can be hard to deal with given the spaces in which you fight and the limited time he allows you to get off shots. But facing him head-on and dropping him (temporarily) grants rewards such as pieces for assembling better weapons, health packs, and so on. So like the rest of the package, it's an element of risk vs. reward. On a first play, I'd say he's better left alone as you run for safety. But he can be a fun addition to combat for the more experienced player. Also new to this entry are some nice quality of life improvements. There is now a much-appreciated quick turn when you push opposite your current direction and the square button. It gives such an added sense of control and mobility that it's hard to believe we functioned without it previously. There is also the introduction of ammo crafting, which allows the player to combine and mix various base forms of powder to pick and choose what ammo they'd like to emphasize, giving things a more personal feel. Also, we have a new dodge mechanic in Nemesis, which can be very useful or punitive. It activates when targeting a foe and pushing the button to shoot right at the moment of being attacked. You can learn to use it pretty effectively, but sometimes you just intend to *shoot* and have no interest in dodging, and yet it happens anyway. The move is a bit unpredictable and finicky to execute at times. It's only really needed against Nemesis if you really want to use it, though. But the fact that it can activate when not desired can cause frustration, as this unintended dodge will reorient your character relative to on-screen threats and can throw off your whole plan of attack against your enemies. You might end up taking more damage than otherwise. This is an appreciated addition, but it would have been more appropriate to have a dedicated input for the action rather than a contextual activation that could undermine your intent. Another specific aspect of this classic Resident Evil entry is the fact that Nemesis is much more action-oriented than RE1 or 2. There are *tons* of enemies, respawning enemies at that, and because of that you are given an appropriate arsenal and ammunition to face such hordes. The abundance of zombies and creatures fit in well with the more expansive backdrop of Raccoon City itself and made things feel more apocalyptic than the more intimate and condensed settings of the first two entries. Many classic series fans have complained that RE4 is the turning point away from the foundations of the series, but in truth, RE3 is where things really started to shift to a more action-centric experience. Personally, I thought it was really well done and served to give a more macroscopic window into the full impact of the events that led to the viral outbreak and zombie infestation. This perspective really helped to highlight just how vast the potential threat really was as you navigated the city streets and alleyways, finding a city in utter chaos and a state of terror, a city literally burning to the ground. The shift in focus helped to really enhance the despicable nature of Umbrella and all those with whom they were aligned and facilitated the building of a richer world and image of a truly terrible and formidable foe to the human species. There were also some other unique elements introduced in this entry. There are points where you are given a binary choice about what to do in several scenarios. Your choices will alter the path Jill takes and makes for interesting replayability, as you can opt for all the routes you didn't choose the first time around. (To be fair, RE2 had some aspects of this, but it was presented a little differently here.) Another aspect that adds to the fun of replaying this game is the fact that there is variability in terms of item and enemy placement. You won't always find the same things in the same rooms, and enemies can change from one play to the next, and that unpredictability keeps things fresh, should you choose to experience another trip. There are also numerous game epilogues - brief paragraphs that focus on different characters of this universe, and upon finishing, you're given a new one. I think there are a total of 7 if you have enough interest in playing so many times. And, typical to the series, there are alternate costumes, extra weapons, and infinite-ammo varieties that can be earned. And of course, you are graded on your performance and shown your total time to complete each run, a feature that makes really learning the ins and outs and optimal routes worthwhile for the speedrunner or those who just want to see how high they can rank on a run. Finally, Mercenaries Mode is introduced for the first time in Resident Evil 3, an even more action-oriented mini-game. In this mode you can choose from three different characters, each with their own loadout, and are informed that you have been implanted with a bomb and must make it to a destination before time expires in order for it to be deactivated. This mode takes place on the maps of the game-proper, and you will find the streets to be littered with all manner of resistance as you try and complete a run. But you are granted time extensions for killing zombies - the more in quick succession or simultaneously, the better, and you can also rescue civilians who are trapped in the chaos for time bonuses as well as item drops to benefit your run. It's really a fun and addictive mode where you are rewarded with a dollar amount for each trip, depending on how successful. And as these funds accumulate, you can spend them on a variety of weapons with infinite rounds, which is a great incentive to engage with this mode and ties in nicely to replaying the main campaign in a more powerful manner. All of this comes together to really reward the player who enjoys the game and makes it worthwhile to keep the disc on the spinner.

Despite all the superlatives, there are some issues that warrant a bit of scrutiny. The already mentioned voice “acting” is an easy target, and while it surely is B or even sub-B-movie tier, it somehow doesn't annoy me here like it would in other games. Maybe because it's always been a “feature” since the beginning, or maybe because it somehow fits in with all the other absurdities. Somehow it just works, but the voice performance is generally truly bad. The use of ink ribbons as a limited save mechanic is excellent for the sense of consequence and amplification of tension. However, replaying potentially rather lengthy sections because you died before finding another typewriter can be frustrating and deflating. Of course, PS1 emulation is nothing these days, and that can remove that aspect, but then you're also sacrificing a core element of what made these games what they are. Either way, there's some annoyance or diminished impact with the general structure. The puzzles have also always been mostly ridiculous in this franchise. Who designed these homes, this city, lol? Secrets secured via strange symbolic emblems, plaques, gems, and whatnot. There are *some* contextually logical puzzles, to be fair, but so many things seem to want to point to this secret society or underground, and while I appreciate that concept very much, the way many puzzles are integrated within the world can usually feel starkly out of place within any context of realism. They're always easy, though, so it's not like they add too much to things outside the peculiar flavor of symbology and mystery along with the persistent questions about who organized all this nonsense. To be fair, they do tend to break up the pace, and that is appreciated, along with the fun surprise of whatever new item you acquire. The only puzzle here that had any resistance at all was the water purification puzzle towards the end, and it wasn't challenging, just a little laborious. I've heard so many complain about that one, but it's not hard at all; again, just a bit on the tedious side. But the integration of puzzles certainly requires fully “drinking the Kool-Aid” of this bizarre universe. Finally, as threatening as Nemesis is in a practical sense to player survival, his sense of menace is undermined by his silly one-word vocabular of “Stars!”. It makes him feel a little retarded and reduces his impact. And the final boss is not challenging at all, which is at odds with series tradition.

But none of those points are significant relative to the total package or what Resident Evil as a series does so well. Even though I've got this game on my “all-time classics” list, I was still a little surprised at just how much I enjoyed this return visit. I hadn't played an entry in the classic formula since playing REmake in 2016, so I was long overdue for another go. Seeing Raccoon City literally wiped off the map was pretty cathartic after all you'd been through since the beginning of the series, along with all the chaos in this entry. If only that were the end, lol. And I even played a good bit of Mercenaries, unlocked some infinite weapons, and ran through it a second time just for the satisfaction of properly abusing Nemesis with a smile on my face and a skip to my step. Overall, everything was just a really satisfying adventure in bubblegum horror. It's a fun premise for a fiction with a good dose of silly melodrama. Just a really fun and addictive formula. It's easy to see why this franchise has stuck around so long, imho. And hey, if you're afraid of replaying an old favorite due to over-familiarity, it turns out that waiting a quarter century makes things fresh again! 5/5

Pinball Arcade was so perfect on Vita. Made a few flights much more enjoyable.

canedaddy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2025 10:47 am Pinball Arcade was so perfect on Vita. Made a few flights much more enjoyable.

Did the Vita version come with a lot of tables or was it more of a piecemeal sort of thing with lots of DLC? I'm still kicking myself for not buying ALL the tables packs before they were delisted. I've got most of them, but it was dumb of me for not picking up the rest.

#53 Some Like it Hot (PC) 1/5 (2021) (play time : approximately 20 to 30 minutes)



Looking to clear out some of my backlog in early 2024, I put my list of owned games into a randomizer, and it pulled a game from my itch.io library. This game, a visual novel called Some Like it Hot, is apparently a love story set largely in a coffee shop as the backdrop. The main character is ending his time working there and is heading out to college while promising to keep in touch with his friends from the shop. We're introduced to the owner along with a handful of characters and a mini-game where you mix drinks to fill customer orders for lattes and the like. I didn't realize when I began that this was an unfinished project that started in 2019 and was updated later in 2020 but is still listed as a work in development. In other words, it's dead Jim. Regardless, the writing was pretty bland and uninteresting and focused on aspects of “modern” love (take that as you will) that aren't really that relatable to an old codger like myself. The drink-making mini-game was ok, but nothing to get excited about. At least I can check off another from my backlog. And how am I to rate a game that concludes after chapter one with likely no more to come, you ask? I'll tell you. 1/5.

Just wanted to let you know I'm enjoying the list so far. And yes, I still maintain that the 2016 R&C remake is superior not only for the quality of life & aesthetic improvements but because they make Ratchet not be an ass to Clank. Be kind to your robots!

argyle wrote: ↑Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:06 pm Just wanted to let you know I'm enjoying the list so far. And yes, I still maintain that the 2016 R&C remake is superior not only for the quality of life & aesthetic improvements but because they make Ratchet not be an ass to Clank. Be kind to your robots!