Monthend Video Game Wrap-Up: September 2022

~ Game Over ~

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch) – It was a Xenoblade, alright! And an excellent one at that. I’m writing up some additional thoughts that may or may not ever get published, but the most important takeaway is that I enjoyed every one of the 100+ hours that I spent on it.

TMNT: Fall of the Foot Clan (GB) – A fairly simple platformer/punch-’em-up. Short, easy, and not especially special in any way.

TMNT: Back From the Sewers (GB) – Graphically, a huge step up from FotFC. On the other hand, it’s so brutally hard (on normal!) that I would have lost my mind without rewinds/save states.

TMNT: Radical Rescue (GB) – This one’s a mini-metroidvania, though a little more linear than that descriptor suggests. It’s not quite as unfair as BFtS, except for the bosses, who will absolutely make you pull your hair out.

The Silent House (PC) – An indie horror experience that I thought would be more about atmosphere and solving puzzles, but really it’s actually more about looking for keys and avoiding stalkers. Also the sound bugged out for like 75% of my playthrough, so the atmosphere was totally ruined.

Subnautica: Below Zero (PS5) – While this does have most of the good-feels that the original Subnautica evokes, it also felt a little shallower. And that’s not just a play on words, I mean it literally. I think the max depth is only about 1000m? In general, the map felt much smaller, with fewer, more compact biomes. This also means that aggressive creatures seem way more common, which was annoying. Overall, it’s still a really good game, but kind of hollow as a sequel.

Resident Evil Village (PS5) – Another quick run to grind money for weapon upgrades, plus I’m finally getting into the Mercenaries mode. It’s pretty tough!

Resident Evil Village (PS5) – Hardcore run. My first!

Silver Chains (Switch) – A spooky mansion exploration game where you have to find keys and solve puzzles to progress. Sometimes there is an enemy that you must hide from. It’s not quite the finest that the genre has to offer, but I got pretty much what I was expecting: a couple hours of scrounging for key items and roughly six dozen jumpscares.

YumeNikki -Dream Diary- (Switch) – An adventure game that takes place in the spooky dream worlds of a young lady. Outrun monsters! Solve puzzles! Have no idea what the story is! It’s certainly an interesting game, but it’s a bit slow and the lack of a communicated plot was slightly disappointing.

Donkey Kong Land III (GB) – Definitely the easiest of the trilogy, at least as far as finding the bonus barrels goes. I got every single one without having to consult a guide! The extra time trial mode is a neat feature, but I don’t necessarily like that you must finish it to get that 103% completion.

Dear Esther: Landmark Edition (PS4) – I randomly noticed this in my game library, and ran through quickly to snag a bunch of easy trophies. I have already played it before, after all.

Call of Cthulhu (PS4) – Lovecraftian detectiving game, with a bit of forced stealth thrown in there just to make sure players are at least mildly annoyed. I like that several puzzles have multiple solutions, which gently encourages replays, but it doesn’t seem like the story would be affected at all.

~ Progress Notes ~

Mercenary Kings (PC) – Sergeant rank

Hitman II (2018) (PC) – Whittleton Creek

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (Switch) – Grinding anomaly quests

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