PS2 Backlog Committee

Starsand Island (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC) – February 1
The 18th Attic (PC) - February 2
Crimson Capes (PC) - February 3
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, Switch, PC) - February 5
Unemployment Simulator 2018 (PC) - February 5
PUBG: Blindspot (Early Access) (PC) – February 5
Sid Meier's Civilization VII (Mac, iOS) – February 5
Tomb of the Bloodletter (PC) – February 5
Dead Pets: A Punk Rock Slice Of Life Sim (PC) - February 6
Ghost Gunners (PC) - February 6
HumanityZ (PC) - February 6
My Hero Academia: All's Justice (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC) - February 6
Nioh 3 (PS5) - February 6
PGA Tour 2K25 (Switch 2) – February 6


Finished: PowerWash Simulator 2 (platinum)

Now Playing: Once Upon a Katamari (trophy cleanup)

Added to Backlog: Nothing

Current Backlog: 38 games

Finished up PowerWash Simulator 2, which is a nice iteration on the first game that I loved so much. I wish they had more levels where you could use the abseiling equipment and more multi-stage levels, but we shall see what all the DLC brings to the table! Got 6 or 7 more trophies in Katamari, so I'm still working my way through the levels trying to clean things up.

Skipping DQ VII for now, going to focus on Katamari before Yakuza Kiwami 3 releases in 12 days.

Hey. Things have been busy. Hope all's well. Now my heat is out so that's the next boss fight life has thrown my way .

Played: Dragging myself through Final Fantasy 3. I think this experiment has demonstrated I should not bother with the NES FF's again. I can appreciate what they did but they are such a slog for me. Also a tiny bit of Shadow of War before I just didn't care to bother with it any longer for no particular reason. I think I wanted another Arkham. Then I realized I just want to hit button and make cool things happen. And I am really bad at fighting games. But not beat em ups. SO I downloaded every beat em up I could to my Steam Deck. I started River City Girls and don't know why ever put it down. My current train game.

Done with: One Piece Pirate Warriors 3. They have actual goals that are not beating things up or rescuing things. I don't like it.

Bought: Nothing.

This week: More River City Girls, FF3 and something...more. Like a Disney Princess. I just want...more.

Games added: Nada

Last week: Finished Cult of the Lamb, played Hello Kitty & Marvel Cosmic Invasion

This week: More HKIA and Marvel I'm sure, and I'll start something else - Warhammer 20k: Space Marine II went up on Gamepass, so that might be a nice change of pace. I've heard good things.

Cult of the Lamb is an amazing game. I have nothing bad to say about it - it's an extremely fun & addictive game that manages to perfectly balance the dungeon crawling aspect with the sim aspect. It has a great - if somewhat dark - sense of humor, a fantastic art style, really, really, REALLY great music, and it even nails the difficulty by never getting obnoxiously hard. I really want to go ahead & play the new DLC that just dropped last week because I've been hearing great things about it, but I don't want to pay full price for it. That will give me an excuse to go back to it in a few months.

crimson_tide wrote: ↑Mon Feb 02, 2026 9:19 am Hey. Things have been busy. Hope all's well. Now my heat is out so that's the next boss fight life has thrown my way .

Oh no. Wayyyy too cold to have the heat out. Hope y'all have space heaters or a place to escape to.


Played recently: nothing

Finished: nothing

Added to backlog: nothing

Haven't figured out what I'll play post-Astro Bot. I have Horizon: Forbidden West and DQ III sitting there, but I might want to run through a shorter game before jumping into those.

I've got a question for you guys. I know I'm very lttp compared to you all with the Dragon Quest series and I was wondering how you'd all rank the ones you've played and/or if they are all worth it from your perspective. I know the series is quite formulaic and familiar across entries, generally speaking, so I'm sure if you love one, it's a pretty good bet that you'd love them all, but just interested in a more condensed set of opinions across the series entries you guys have played.

In my memories here, it seem that j and cane are the biggest fans and have perhaps played the most, but the brain goo doesn't remember everything, as much as I try to be attentive to what you all post. But I'm interested in everyone's experiences and takes.

As for myself in DQ8, I'm still doing some exploration, enjoying the casino and looking for / gaining the funds for some better gear / loot. It seems that I'm pretty near the climax or at least the run up to it, and so I want to fully explore and indulge myself in this delightful world before the credits roll.

Crim, glad to see the storm didn't turn you into this guy.



Hopefully your heat gets sorted soon.

Argyle:





What's the word? I assume you'll keep us updated. I'm pulling for, "I didn't even notice it after the diagnosis."

crimson_tide wrote: ↑Mon Feb 02, 2026 9:19 am Hey. Things have been busy. Hope all's well. Now my heat is out so that's the next boss fight life has thrown my way .

Dang, that's gotta be rough. Hope it gets fixed soon!

isthatallyougot wrote: ↑Mon Feb 02, 2026 1:20 pm I've got a question for you guys. I know I'm very lttp compared to you all with the Dragon Quest series and I was wondering how you'd all rank the ones you've played and/or if they are all worth it from your perspective. I know the series is quite formulaic and familiar across entries, generally speaking, so I'm sure if you love one, it's a pretty good bet that you'd love them all, but just interested in a more condensed set of opinions across the series entries you guys have played.

In my memories here, it seem that j and cane are the biggest fans and have perhaps played the most, but the brain goo doesn't remember everything, as much as I try to be attentive to what you all post. But I'm interested in everyone's experiences and takes.

I found an older list I had updated after XI. For the most part, this is just original US releases only (so Nintendo DS for V and VI as those were the first time I could play them). I love IV in both the NES form and the DS form.

1 Dragon Warrior/Quest IV
2 Dragon Quest VIII
3 Dragon Quest XI

4 Dragon Warrior VII
5 Dragon Quest V
6 Dragon Quest IX
7 Dragon Warrior III
8 Dragon Quest VI


9 Dragon Warrior I
10 Dragon Warrior II

The gaps are in the for a reason: to separate "tiers"...with a bigger gap before the lower ranked games. IV, VIII, and XI are my favorites. Numbers 4-7 in the list are close and I could probably switch them around at any point depending on last played. I and II on the NES are still good, but everything has been done better in later games and they show their age. If I swap in the HD-2D remakes for I, II, and III I think my list would look something like this:

1 Dragon Warrior/Quest IV
2 Dragon Quest VIII
3 Dragon Quest XI

4 Dragon Quest II HD-2D
5 Dragon Warrior VII
6 Dragon Quest III HD-2D
7 Dragon Quest V
8 Dragon Quest IX
9 Dragon Quest I HD-2D
10 Dragon Quest VI

So...I gets a small boost (the changes/updates were really good, it's just a tough crowd), III gets a medium boost, and II frickin vaults way up the list. The changes/updates to that game made it not only more playable, but fleshed out the characters/world and was a perfect end to the HD-2D Erdrick trilogy (please play these in III, I, II order).

Other info (hope I get all this right):
- III and IX basically have random characters you use in your party (though III has a steady hero and 3 randos you customize)
- III, VI, VII, and IX have a job/class system
- VI has 2 worlds similar to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
- IV has a chapter system where the first 4 chapters are playing as characters that meet up with the hero in chapter 5

My current recommendation for you is to next play the HD-2D Erdrick trilogy in III, I, II order (play III and if you like what they're doing with the aesthetics/gameplay/etc then get I and II as they will be a similar overall vibe). Reason being is the new VII is an unknown to me right now, IX is only available on the DS, and IV, V, and VI may very well have remakes announced at some point (you can always play these 3 on mobile if no remakes are coming).

Curious to see now how the VII update affects your list once you play it, since the rumblings I've been hearing say the updates/additions to that game are pretty significant as well.

As for my list, here's a ranking of all of the DQ games I've played so far:

Dragon Quest VIII

As you can see, it was a tough list to rank, but I think I'm pretty set with that order. Seriously, I still really want to play XI, and the recent HD-2D remakes of the older games have my attention as well.

Izzy, as for my condition, I think it's pretty much what you said. Best I can figure, I MUST have passed it at some point because I feel fine now, but danged if I could tell you when. Fingers crossed, and as I always say, all's well that ends.

I love j's DQ details. That is why he is the Machine and I most assuredly am not!

My favorite is VIII. It's the first one I played and the only one I've played twice.

I still remember XI pretty well since I played that not too long ago, and that was great too.

I played I and II a long, long time ago on GBA, and they were fun little games but very old school (simple and short), as I recall. I haven't played the remakes.

III is the only one I haven't played. I have the remake but haven't gotten into it yet.

I played IV, V and VI (and IX) on DS, and enjoyed all of them immensely, but I couldn't rate one above another or tell you much about what distinguishes them.

VII I played on PS1, and I came in expecting it to be not as good as the others based on reviews and word of mouth. But I had a great time with it. I recall it being very long, but that didn't bother me.

My bottom line would be they're all charming, fun games that are largely similar (in gameplay, enemies, etc.) with variation in playable characters, settings and stories. None of them is bad.

(I've also really enjoyed the side games I've played, especially DQ Monsters, DQ Builders and Rocket Slime.)

argyle wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 8:35 am Izzy, as for my condition, I think it's pretty much what you said. Best I can figure, I MUST have passed it at some point because I feel fine now, but danged if I could tell you when. Fingers crossed, and as I always say, all's well that ends.

That would be awesome! Hope that's the case.

Thanks guys.

J, I really appreciate your detailed thoughts and recommendations. It seems, based on your preferences, that I've mostly experienced the best of the best. I am curious what elevates IV to the top for you as well if you have any more detailed thoughts.

Cane, I can see why you've played VIII twice. Such a treat of a game. And I do have interest in going back to play the early originals one day or another at some point. I know they are basic in comparison, but there's often a charm in that as well.

Argyle...you offered what you could. I couldn't remember if you had played more or not.

And I can't remember exactly Crim's history with the franchise.

Too bad phase isn't around to share. I imagine he'd have had a lot to share as well.

Oh, and argyle, if you did pass them/it and that was the extent of it for you, you have been blessed from above!





Mine were audible and easily visible boulders that landed with a plop and a clank in the bowl.



But again, it was all pre-impact terror.

isthatallyougot wrote: ↑Tue Feb 03, 2026 12:04 pm
J, I really appreciate your detailed thoughts and recommendations. It seems, based on your preferences, that I've mostly experienced the best of the best. I am curious what elevates IV to the top for you as well if you have any more detailed thoughts.

IV is at the top of my list for several reasons (some very specific and may only apply to me )::

Some basic history: It was released in Oct 1992 in the US, 14 months after the SNES. A lot of people had moved on to the new system, but my friend and I had not. He owned the game - I never owned an actual copy until the DS version released - and we used to play through all these NES RPGs together (FF I, DW I, DW III, DW IV, Crystalis, Destiny of an Emperor, etc).

1. I love the chapter system. A lot of times, my favorite part of a JRPG is the beginning where you're meeting characters, learning about the world/lore, etc. You do that 5 times here, but the first 4 chapters are each relatively short. And everyone joins forces in the last chapter to take on evil!
2. Speaking of characters - I find them endearing with their different skills and personalities. Coming off III with it's hero and 3 randos that don't talk, it was an upgrade IMO.
3. Many "firsts" in the series
a. Casino
b. Mini Medals
c. AI-controlled characters - in the NES version, you only control the Hero's commands and everyone else follows tactics (Prioritize Healing, Conserve MP, Go All Out, etc)...this can lead to some epic moments both positive and negative (like a mage casting a spell we know won't work), but hey it was pretty cool at the time. Later versions you can control all characters manually if you want.
d. A wagon for the rest of your party (you have 4 in your main setup and can swap people in and out of the wagon)
4. The main antagonist - He even got his own game a few years ago (DQM: The Dark Prince)! I still recall the epic final battle that goes through many stages (as in, you do enough damage and you defeat his arm, etc). Many years ago, I spent hours cross-stitching his first form...it's in a box around here somewhere )