Mini-Review/Backlog Destruction Thread

A Plague Tale: Innocence - EXCELLENT

Don't read any spoilers about this game. Just play it.

It is a linear, story and character driven game that although starts slowly, ramps up to a fantastic game.

Available on Gamepass for Xbox and PC.

I went in mostly blind as well. Didn't think it would be my type of game. Through the first 2/3rds of the game, I would've considered it a top 20 game of the gen for me. It doesn't hold up unfortunately. Back 1/3rd gets a bit messy. That said, highly recommend everyone give it a shot on Game Pass. A lot of potential with this studio long term. For the first 2/3rds of the game, I thought it's narrative and immersion were as good or better than most AAA story driven games.

Finished Control (PC). This is a Remedy game through and through. The storytelling is not quite direct and you will need to read some of the notes you find to get a complete idea of the story. They managed to incorporated the live action stuff they cut their teeth on in Quantum Break into the narrative more seamlessly in Control, though I didn't mind Quantum Break's approach to live action.

The highlight of the game for me was combat especially after you get most of your powers and the total chaos you can inflict to the environment with respect to destruction. The destruction/physics in this game is absolutely what Crackdown 3 should have been. Remedy did a damn fine job with the game play and should be very proud. This kind of interactive destruction should be the norm going forward with the new generation of consoles TBH. And with RTX on, the look and atmosphere of the game is enhanced tremendously.

After playing the game, I can see why Control was nominated and won a few GOTY awards. There's really nothing like it out there. If it pops up on a sale, give it a shot on the enhanced consoles or PC. Games like Control make me wish MS was still in studio acquisition mode. It seems like Remedy takes what they learn from their previous games and build upon it with each new product. IMO, Remedy would have been a great purchase ( far better than Compulsion) and MS would have benefited greatly from the amount of new talent on board and the new IPs that could have been made franchises.
I've got a feeling that after their publishing deal with Epic ends or maybe even before that, Epic may make a play for Remedy as might Sony. MS may have missed the boat.

I bought Control Day 1 since I'm a fan of Metroidvania's and like the atmosphere they were going for. It delivered on atmosphere. Map was crap for a Metroidvania but outside of that, very solid game with one of the best segments (Ashtray Maze) of this entire gen.

I've been playing the hell out of Streets of Rage 4. Over 30 hours so far. I'm not an achievement hunter and haven't 100% achievements in a game since Geometry Wars in 2005. I might give these a go. They are calling out my old school gaming skillz.
 
If anyone is looking for a fun action/RPG I suggest The Surge 2. Its on Game Pass right now and I've been having a lot of fun with it since I started it last week. Yes, its a Souls/Borne type of game but I find it much more forgiving and because of that more fun. Plus, the limb targeting system is just so cool. Its actually how you acquire new weapons & armor and the death animations are fantastic. There's a perk system in the form of implants that give either direct or passive abilities and together with all the loot can be combined for some different and fun builds where you can specialize in many different ways. Too bad there are only 3 loadout slots but its easy enough to switch things around manually.

The combat controls are super tight which makes the directional blocking system a lot easier to use once you get the timing of it. The game seemed really difficult for me during the first few hours but after I got some armor and weapons it got better. I'm now at the point where I'm destroying most enemies who are 1 or 2 levels higher than I am. Of course this has lead to overconfidence where I get my butt handed to me but that's to be expected when I get cocky. Also, like most of these types of games the environment plays a big part and thankfully level design is really well done. Sections are a swiss cheese maze that interconnect and as you get new abilities new areas of previously explored areas open up in keeping with the Metroidvania style.

I'm really surprised by how much I like this game. So much so that I purchased the Season Pass in the hopes of extending my time with it. I read its got new game plus so even if the dlc episode is short or not as good as the base game I know I'll still have that to look forward to. And for you obsessive collectors out there this game may drive you insane with the amount of weapons and armor sets there are to get.
 
Anthem...
I stopped at lvl4 during launch week, I think it was the bad rep and the fact I was on training for my new job.
I'm around lvl 8 now I think, it's pretty fun this far. I'm going in with the attitude of not playing the "end game". Hopefully I'm going to have a good time all the way, it's fun this far at least.
 
I haven't played many games these days. 1.5max, often far less. Too tired since I restart m,y game project. But I learned to focus on having fun than trying to get good & get frustrated when matches (PvP) did not go my way.

Play mostly Dead by daylight but I play usually 2-4 matches a game only. Hit a wall on rank & could get pass rank 15, & hovering between 15-16 for at least 1.5 weeks. AT least I get to level up my character & upgrade skills (perks).
 
Finished Sakura Wars (PS4). This was just the game I needed before the deluge of grim dark games start hitting.

Sakura Wars is part Dynasty Warriors, part dating sim, All anime type of game from Sega. Its bright, cheery and reeks of anime troupes. It has been something of a palette cleanser for me since finishing Plague tale and Control back to back.
 
Fornite Chapter 2 season 3 just started, as well as dead by daylight. Between these games as well as my own game project, I don't think I need a new game until cyberpunk2077.

I checked the battle pass for Fortnite, & whatever your opinion of Fortnite, the battle pass blows every other game out of the water by sheer value, quantity & quality. No game comes even remotely close.
 
So I have an embarrassingly high number of PS4 exclusive AAA titles in my backlog that are half finished. Wife is going to be out of town this weekend though so looking for recommendations on what to play first. The list goes...

God of War
Horizon Zero Dawn
Detroit Become Human
Uncharted Lost Legacy
Walking Dead Saints and Sinners
Astrobot
Until Dawn
Moss
Days Gone
Infamous SS
Red Dead Redemption 2 - not exclusive but also half finished

Any recommendations on where to start?
 
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So I have an embarrassingly high number of PS4 exclusive AAA titles in my backlog that are half finished. Wife is going to be out of town this weekend though so looking for recommendations on what to play first. The list goes...

God of War
Horizon Zero Dawn
Detroit Become Human
Uncharted Lost Legacy
Walking Dead Saints and Sinners
Astrobot
Until Dawn
Moss
Days Gone
Infamous SS
Red Dead Redemption 2 - not exclusive but also half finished

Any recommendations on where to start?

Knack. 🤡
 
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So I have an embarrassingly high number of PS4 exclusive AAA titles in my backlog that are half finished. Wife is going to be out of town this weekend though so looking for recommendations on what to play first. The list goes...

God of War
Horizon Zero Dawn
Detroit Become Human
Uncharted Lost Legacy
Walking Dead Saints and Sinners
Astrobot
Until Dawn
Moss
Days Gone
Infamous SS
Red Dead Redemption 2 - not exclusive but also half finished

Any recommendations on where to start?

How far are you on God of War? Thats a lot of games!
 
How far are you on God of War? Thats a lot of games!

I know, I much prefer Xbox so I tend to abandon the PS4 games. I’m one of those people that bought a PS4 for Spiderman lol. I did finish Spiderman though along with Uncharted 4!

What makes God of War a tough one is that I’m pretty far, I think at least halfway and probably farther, but I don’t remember the combat moves at all anymore so I’ve been avoiding going back.
 
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Finally did it! Finally beat Hellblade this week. Took 4 attempts. Slow games aren't my thing. Puzzle games aren't my thing. I value gameplay over story and immersion. The only time I make exceptions is when story and immersion is elite. Hellblade isn't a game geared toward me. I wanted to beat it because 1) I wanted to know the story to have context for the sequel and 2) I knew it wasn't going to take too long.

For the first half of the game, it felt like a 5/10 game. Weird thing happened during the 2nd half. It clicked. I finally got the rules of the game and how the puzzles worked. Little more combat balanced the experience for me. I became engrossed in the sound, storytelling, art and music. There were some extremely intense moments. Really creative use of our senses. High approval ratings for how the way the game ended. I'd bump it to a 8/10 game overall. Still don't think the actual gameplay was above average but it's one of the few times that the experience was memorable enough to overshadow the deficiencies in the core game. Now I'm looking forward to the sequel. Very talented studio.
 
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Knocked one off the list, finished my first play through of Detroit Become Human. Great game! Amazing graphics and story, really interested to see how much things change on subsequent runs. As it is it’s definitely one of my favorites this generation.
 
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I started playing Ghost Recon Breakpoint picked it up on that recent sale for $20 on XB. I’m really digging this game. Playing it with a buddy on online coop. We’re having a blast sneaking into camps and working together. I like the RPG elements, unlocking new skills, and the huge world. Wish I would have gotten this sooner.
 
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Metro: Exodus

I started playing this when MS announced it was leaving Gamepass at the end of this month. Unlocked most of the Achievements and finished the campaign last night.

Not a bad game, certainly better than the first (I haven't played the second yet). The story was fairly compelling, and I liked how I could just avoid most of the combat using stealth and get rewarded in the story for doing so. The game combines an open world and linear progression, like God of War. It tries to mix things up by giving you different environments in each level, but it's hard not to see the repetition in each level.
 
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Metro: Exodus

I started playing this when MS announced it was leaving Gamepass at the end of this month. Unlocked most of the Achievements and finished the campaign last night.

Not a bad game, certainly better than the first (I haven't played the second yet). The story was fairly compelling, and I liked how I could just avoid most of the combat using stealth and get rewarded in the story for doing so. The game combines an open world and linear progression, like God of War. It tries to mix things up by giving you different environments in each level, but it's hard not to see the repetition in each level.

Metro Exodus was such a mixed bag for me. At times, I was enjoying the hell out of it. It was inconsistent though. I disliked the semi-open world. Thought it felt best when it was more focused. Enjoyed it more when I used stealth. Not a fan of the last level. Incredible looking and immersive though.
 
Metro Exodus was such a mixed bag for me. At times, I was enjoying the hell out of it. It was inconsistent though. I disliked the semi-open world. Thought it felt best when it was more focused. Enjoyed it more when I used stealth. Not a fan of the last level. Incredible looking and immersive though.

Yeah I had the same idea to play it before it left Gamepass, and once I hit the semi open world I gradually lost interest and deleted
 
Taking down that backlog one game at a time, finished up Uncharted Lost Legacy this weekend. Great game! I love tomb raider games, and this was very similar in style and very well done. Amazing graphics, great flow to the combat, and a really fun story. I can definitely see why people like it better than Uncharted 4, that’s kinda how I feel too
 
Taking down that backlog one game at a time, finished up Uncharted Lost Legacy this weekend. Great game! I love tomb raider games, and this was very similar in style and very well done. Amazing graphics, great flow to the combat, and a really fun story. I can definitely see why people like it better than Uncharted 4, that’s kinda how I feel too

Is Lost legacy a spin off to the series? I'm keen to check it out sometime, don't know if I can do unchartered 1-3 plus the other two.

For me everything's taken a back seat for Nioh, I'm seriously loving this game. I'm stuck on a sub mission human boss he's almost depleted my stock of elixers because he's a cheap piece of sh*t but I'll get him one day.

It's given my gf something to laugh about, I don't really get angry at games except for this one haha.
 
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Is Lost legacy a spin off to the series? I'm keen to check it out sometime, don't know if I can do unchartered 1-3 plus the other two.

For me everything's taken a back seat for Nioh, I'm seriously loving this game. I'm stuck on a sub mission human boss he's almost depleted my stock of elixers because he's a cheap piece of sh*t but I'll get him one day.

It's given my gf something to laugh about, I don't really get angry at games except for this one haha.

Yeah it focuses on some of the side characters from UC4, so you don’t have to be all caught up on the story really. It’s shorter than the main game but a lot less slow walking story sequences, so I had more fun with it.
 
Finished A Way Out. It's co-op required, and coordinating play sessions with a friend made it challenging.

Overall, it was a FANTASTIC game, with varied fun game mechanics. I loved playing in performance mode, which smoothed out the fps. The story was solid, and had a lot of references to Shawshank Redemption and some other pop culture.
 
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I'm slowly progressing thorough Nier Automata when I have a chance to use my X, and on PC I just finished Planescape: Torment and started the follow-up, but with some side action in the new 4X game Old World. I also got Civ VI in the past month or so, and it sucks less than V.

Oh, yeah. Progress. Completed Nier, but missing one of the fail endings, but I'd have to get to like level 70 and I'm like, nah, son, we good. Fun game, though. I did a stint on motorsport manager on the PC when I was bummed that the Indy 500 was not happening on memorial day. Finished Torment: Tides of Numenara and now I just started No Man's Sky and Gears Tactics on PC. Game pass ultimate is definitely giving me more to play than I have time for (and that's ignoring the 19-15 hours I put into ff xv that, somehow, I think now and then I might keep playing even through I have no idea why).
 
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Took a break from AAA games to take down Maneater. All the technical issues at launch were frustrating as hell but thankfully it’s fixed now and that was a really fun game!! A shark game done right is pretty great, and it’s priced right at $40 considering it isn’t the longest game. Very fun though and I could see myself replaying it at some point
 
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Guys, I’m straight up murdering my backlog and it has been awesome. Next game taken down is God of War, and holy hell that game was amazing. I’ve been in gaming heaven but I feel like this has been the best. I’ll go with like a 9.8/10 with only a couple quibbles about the story and a few difficulty spikes, but this may end up being my favorite PS exclusive.
 
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Finally finished the main story of Borderlands 3 (PC). I have never been so happy to be done with a game as I am with this one. The game way overstayed its welcome.
 
Finished Until Dawn (PS4). What a cast of unlikable a******s. I almost went out of my way to try to get them all killed. Graphics was well done but Supermassive's 2nd outing in the genre, Man of Medan is superior in every way.
 
Finished Until Dawn (PS4). What a cast of unlikable a******s. I almost went out of my way to try to get them all killed. Graphics was well done but Supermassive's 2nd outing in the genre, Man of Medan is superior in every way.
Lol yeah, I managed to keep all alive except the ebony guy.
I do think until dawn is vastly better than man of medan though; story, scares, pacing, length and cast was much better than man of medan... imo of course
 
Made it through Second Son. I had a lot of fun with that game, the side activities were short but fun and you were always getting new powers. The story wasn’t bad either. I think I was most impressed by the PS4 Pro patch because that game looked amazing for being a launch title.

Not sure where to go next on my crusade against my evil backlog. May go straight into First Light, but I also need to try to take care of some game pass games before they go

edit: gotta move on to first light, those light powers are too much fun
 
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Finished Gears Tactics.

Pros:
-Very good production values
- Decent story for a Gears game
-Solid strategy game
- Controls work well with both KB&M and controller


Cons:
--Artificial padding of game ( Mandatory side quests)

Overall the game is solid. If you like Xcom like games it should be right up you alley. However the game is artificially long due to the padding with mandatory side quests.