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COMPLETED GAMES THREAD (2025 EDITION)

1235

Comments

  • #122
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    GAME: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

    PLATFORM: PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16

    Managed to find a translated romhack. My, oh my. Fantastic instalment. I thought there was a way to play as Maria, I managed to find her behind the locked door early into the game but then the cutscene ended and that was it (unless she's available upon beating the game..?).

    Also, apparently there were a heap of secret bosses I flat-out just missed. If there's one thing I've never been good at on "Classicvania" games, is finding hidden sh*t. I tend to just batter my way through them as best as I can.

    The final two levels were very challenging, especially the boss-rush on the 6th level.

    This one was a belter. I'm gonna play one more Castlevania game before I get back to Death Stranding 2. I think I'm close to having my fill lol.



  • #123
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123646901#Comment_123646901

    It's well worth playing through to get to alternative stages as they are brand new content and bosses. There's also 3 maidens to rescue to get the food ending, you got one of them with maria. Maria should be playable for you with a new game.

    The PSP remake is worth a play as well as it remixes up some of the levels, has a brand new rock hard stage and boss for stage 5' which felt really rushed and had no boss in the original game, adds a bad ending boss and gives dracula a few more forms for his boss fight.



  • #124
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)

    Parappa the Rapper

    I had a bit of a moan about this game but once you figure out the timing and get used to it there's a really enjoyable if short game here.

    It's a short game with only 6 stages but there's a lot of replayability here, due to a rather forward thinking freestyling technique you can use to really up your performance. All the songs are catchy and the visuals are gorgeous really playing it the strengths of the PS1 while doing its best to avoid the hardwares shortcomings.

    It's an iconic game and one of the most important releases for the PS1 and while it seems a bit tame and lacking in content that's only because later games would surpass Parappa on the genre it pretty much created.



  • #125
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)

    Philosoma

    This is a strange game I had mostly forgotten about. This was one of the earliest games announced for the PS1 but ended up releasing late 1995 due to development issues. It was internally developed by Sony and really feels like a game from that early 32-bit era when FMV and cinematic cutscenes were still seen as cutting edge but slowly making way for 3D games that emphasised gameplay over FMV scenes.

    Philosoma despite being on cutting edge technology is has some pretty old school gameplay. It's a 2D shooter at heart but changes perspective many times and changes up gameplay. Sometimes it becomes and into the screen shooter like Space Harrier. Visually it's a bit dull but does make some interesting uses of 3D to give stages depth. You have 4 weapons (a vulcan cannon, laser, charge laser and rear firing shot) and bombs to augment those weapons, all of which can be powered up. I think the biggest problem with Philosoma is that its quite a simple shooter. Bullets always home in on the player and bullet patterns end up being kind of bland.

    However there is a saving grace here and that's the vibes. The visuals are dull and unimpressive but do lend themselves to the oppressive dark tone of the game and it's story. Yes story, this shooter has a story and it's surprisingly good. The game features many CGI cutscenes that would have been very impressive for the time. There's also a lot of voice work with some, uncharacteristically of the era, not terrible acting. It's succeeds in creating a very cinematic experience. The soundtrack is pretty good as well, composed by Kow Otani, who would go on to compose the legendary Shadow of the Colossus soundtrack. There's nothing close to that masterpiece but what is here is very effective and suits the mood of the game.

    While not amazing, Philosoma is worth a play through. It should take an afternoon although be warned, it does present a decent challenge. The story will surprise you with just how dark it gets. This would have made a decent launch window game but coming late enough in 1995 when the PS1 was getting some pretty good games in its library, this would have felt quite dated in its gameplay and focus on FMV. The playstation would later play host to R-Type Delta and Einhander, two absolute classics of the genre that completely eclipse Philosoma in terms of gameplay and cinematic ambition.



  • #126
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)
    21. Sin and Punishment (N64)

    Sin and Punishment

    Sin and Punishment might just be the best N64 game ever made. A very late release on the N64 and a collaboration between Nintendo and the legendary Treasure, Sin and Punishment is a wild ride from start to finish.

    S&P is a strange game to explain. It's also one that you can't really get the full experience of by emulating with a modern controller as it's built around the N64's unique controller. The game is ultimately an rail shooter with you using the analogue stick to move your aiming reticule around the screen. What makes this game stand out is that you have full control of you character as well who can move and jump around the screen. It takes some getting used to being about to both move and aim but you learn quickly. You are equipped with a powerful direct shot and a less powerful shot that will lock on to an enemy so you don't have to worry about aiming. You can also use a powerful sword attack against close enemies and it can also be used to deflect missile projectiles back at wherever you are aiming for massive score and damage bonuses.

    While it sounds like a simple enough game, S&P is chock full of crazy ideas and set pieces. The camera will often change which in turn changes how the game plays, sometimes resembling a fighting game or turning into a scrolling run and gun game like metal slug while keeping the games control scheme. And don't get me started when one of the characters turns into a giant Kaiju and a final boss battle that feels like fighting a boss while playing the craziest game of Missile Command. The set pieces are just insane. Being a Treasure game there's a bucketload of bosses all of which are incredible.

    S&P looks incredible and runs at a constant 30 FPS. It really pushes the N64 hard with incredible visuals and visual effects filling the screen. The music is pretty catchy although it's hard to notice it with the sheer insanity and amount of gun fire and explosions going on. Despite the game never getting a release outside of Japan it's pretty friendly to English speakers. All dialogue is voiced in English. The menus can be tough to navigate but since the game got a western release on the Wii virtual console, Nintendo have a manual that you can find online to guide you through the menus. It's also not really a game you play for the story and more for the spectacle because it doesn't make a lick of sense. It's like what you get if your writer took all his Neon Genesis Evangelion VHS tapes, put them in a blend and then snorted the dust as part of the writing process.

    S&P is a little bit short and a bit on the easy side but it's a game you will come back to again and again and it also features a pretty intricate scoring system to keep things constantly interesting. I can't recommend this game enough. The game would eventually be followed up by a Wii sequel that is relatively unknown despite a western release. This might also be the best game on the Wii and is worth checking out as the S&P control scheme translates brilliantly to the Wii controls.

    Sin and Punishment-250730-110050.png Sin and Punishment-250730-110412.png Sin and Punishment-250729-232010.png Sin and Punishment-250729-231754.png Sin and Punishment-250730-110141.png


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  • #127
    LabubuDubaiChocolateChatter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭LabubuDubaiChocolateChatter


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123682646#Comment_123682646

    S&P is crazy good, I played it so much since I discovered it on the wiiu eshop but only beat it without dying this year. I even preferred it to the wii one until I started playing that one with a mouse and it became a lot more enjoyable. I also may be the only person in the country who happens to understand Sin and Punishment's story (or at least I did at one point)



  • #128
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123684958#Comment_123684958

    Well I certainly didn't understand it!



  • #129
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    GAME: Death Stranding 2

    PLATFORM: PS5

    I can't even begin to describe what this game is to people who haven't played it, nor the prequel.

    It's an acquired taste, for sure, but I absolutely loved it.

    Compared to the first one, they really focused on combat in this. DS1 almost completely discouraged you from engaging enemies unless it was absolutely necessary. This one more of less encourages it, and gives you a lot of tools to do it.

    My favourite aspect of it, though, is the traversal. I loved exploring the massive landscapes and adding more structures to help with it.

    On the surface, yes, this is very much a game where you pick up orders and deliver them to other destinations, but scratch deeper and there is a lot more to it than that. The story is insane, as well.

    It very much is a Kojima game, through and through.

    With that said, this is my game of the year. I knew it would be, I wasn't disappointed.



  • #130
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    GAME: Emily is Away

    PLATFORM: PC

    =====

    GAME: Emily is Away Too

    PLATFORM: PC

    Interesting couple of games. I never play visual novels - never got into them, but these seemed pretty intriguing.

    Then I played them both. It's pure teen melodrama at its finest. It really takes me back to the old MSN days (despite this specifically ripping off AIM, which I never used, but still reminded me of my mid-2000s chatroom days). Very nostalgic in a way, and also getting a lot of flashbacks to all those stupid aforementioned dramas I was involved in.

    I'd say these games were pretty unique, but I haven't played enough of this genre (if at all) to compare them to other games.

    I'm gonna try Emily is Away 3 during the week. I started the first chapter but it's a lot of boring early bits. Plus it's based all around Facebook, which I'm still on, so it's a bit "bleh" - too modern, too familiar.

    It has opened up my interest in visual novels in general though. The first one that came to mind was Doki Doki Literature Club which I've heard a lot about but not looked into. I've also been told NOT to, and go into the game completely blind. So that's a possible plan as well.

    Just bridging some gaps with some smaller games again before I jump into another big one. Death Stranding 2 exhausted me.



  • #131
    Pratts2000
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 44 ✭Pratts2000


    Divinity original sin 2 completed. Very nice RPG game with a cool fighting system



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  • #132
    Mr.Fantastic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 782 ✭✭✭Mr.Fantastic


    1. Metaphor:ReFantazio | PS5
    2. Ninja Gaiden Black | Series X
    3. Still wakes the deep | Series X
    4. Tactical Breach Wizards | Steam Deck
    5. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Series X
    6. Avowed | Series X
    7. Astro Bot | PS5
    8. Thank goodness you're here | Steam Deck
    9. Silent Hill 2 Remake | PS5
    10. Star Wars Outlaws | PS5
    11. Blue Prince | Series X
    12. Clair Obscura: Expedition 33 | Series x
    13. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black | Series X
    14. Doom: The Dark Ages | Series X
    15. Saga Frontier 2 Remastered | Switch 2

    Saga Frontier 2 Remastered

    I remember playing this as a kid on ps1 and always getting around halfway and hitting a wall due to difficulty. Being a bit older and wiser I tackled it again and really enjoyed the narratives of both gustave and wil. The end boss is difficult but a lot of QOL improvements. You can inheirt former character's stats to make grinding a non issue. The one thing I would say though is that sparking all out combos was rare in this.



  • #133
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)
    21. Sin and Punishment (N64)
    22. Ninja Gaiden Ragebound (PC)

    Ninja Gaiden Ragebound

    Well this one exceeded my expectations. Game Kitchen have done great work on their Blasphemous series and they absolutely nailed this Ninja Gaiden game.

    What sets apart the original Ninja Gaiden games are their speed, movement and flow. They are fiendishly hard but the player has a lot of control and once you get good at the game you can fly through levels are break neck speed. All enemies only take one hit which is very important to this flow.

    Ragebound absolutely nails these elements. The control is tight and just feels good. Most enemies take one hit but even when you come across damage sponge enemies you can kill certain enemies to gain a charged up attack that can take them out in one hit. These encounters become fast paced puzzles to solve. It just feels fantastic to control. The game does have quite a few mechanics but it cleverly introduces you to them by allowing you to play two separate characters before combining their abilities, giving you plenty of time to get used to each mechanic.

    The level design is excellent and makes great use of the ninjas ability to bounce off enemies with a tap of the jump button in mid air. This is never not satisfying and also gives a few i-frames. Boss battles are fantastic and provide quite a challenge. The game is difficult but definitely not a souls game. Despite the difficulty it never became frustrating due to the generous amount of checkpoints and how quick restarts to these checkpoints were if you died. You also have infinite lives.

    The blasphemous games were gorgeous and ninja Gaiden follows suit with some beautiful pixel art backgrounds and gloriously gory animations. I particularly like how killing enemies leaves blood splashes on the background. The music is a little disappointing, especially considering how iconic the soundtracks of the NES games are. What's there is good but it never stands out like the melodies of that NES games and the two times I noticed the music were two great remixes of older tracks.

    Ninja Gaiden Ragebound is the best action game I've played in a long time.



  • #134
    da gamer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭da gamer


    Alan wake 2 - PS5

    Space marine 2 - PS5

    Indiana Jones and the great circle - Xbox series S

    Tomb raider 3 - PS5

    Life is strange 2 - PS4

    Tekken 8 - PS5

    Warhammer 40k boltgun - PS5

    Broken sword 2 remastered - Steam deck

    Doom the dark ages - Xbox series S

    Totally rad - Nes

    Spider-Man 2 - PS5



  • #135
    da gamer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭da gamer


    Alan wake 2 - PS5

    Space marine 2 - PS5

    Indiana Jones and the great circle - Xbox series S

    Tomb raider 3 - PS5

    Life is strange 2 - PS4

    Tekken 8 - PS5

    Warhammer 40k boltgun - PS5

    Broken sword 2 remastered - Steam deck

    Doom the dark ages - Xbox series S

    Totally rad - Nes

    Spider-Man 2 - PS5

    Deliver us mars - Steam deck



  • #136
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)
    21. Sin and Punishment (N64)
    22. Ninja Gaiden Ragebound (PC)
    23. Xenoblade 2 (Switch)

    Xenoblade 2

    Considering the size and scope of this game I'm amazed that it not only came out during the switch launch window but also managed to release ahead of schedule IIRC.

    Xenoblade 2 is set in a world surrounded by the most sea. The people that inhabit the world live on the backs of enormous titans that stride or swim through this sea. However lately the titans have been slowly dying off and there is a fear that the world will die off with them. There's a lot of story here but it's leards to an adventure across the world to reach the sky tree that dominates the backdrop. It's said that climbing the world tree will lead to a paradise called Elysium.

    I expected a lot from Xenoblade 2. The first Xenoblade is a masterpiece. It's a 100+ hour RPG but it felt like it earned each of those hours and never outstayed it's welcome. The characters were great. The battle system was incredible. Exploring the world was an absolute joy. And it managed to tell a very human sci fi story that struck a cord with me. The spin off Xenoblade X took the gameplay fundamentals of the first game but expanded on the exploration with a massive open world to explore. The story was very weak but the world was so incredible that it didn't matter.

    Xenoblade 2 did disappoint me. As a follow up to xenoblade, the story just has too many modern anime tropes. It's all about the power of friendship while it retains some sci-fi elements from the first game it's kind of a retread. The art is a bit inconsistent as well. Every character is now supported by a Blade, a creature that certain people called drivers can form a bond with and give them power. Apparently the dev team had to contract out different artists for many of the main characters and blades to get the game out on time and it leads to character art that clashes and some of the female characters, including pyra and mythra how play a massive part of the story, have very... distracting anatomy.

    The game also seems to forget some of the improvements Xenoblade introduced. Side quests could be taken and completed in the field with no need to return to a quest giver. Xenoblade 2 has you return multiple times to quest givers leading them to feel like boring fetch quests.

    The Xenoblade games can have a bit too many systems and Xenoblade 2 is quite egregious here. Levelling up blades usually involves hunting specific enemies down or completing side quests. There's some development stuff to do as well. It can be a little overwhelming and you do end up ignoring a lot of the systems. If you do want to engage with them then there is hundreds of hours worth of content and super bosses to take on.

    With all the complaints I have I still thoroughly enjoyed Xenoblade 2. The world is gorgeous and well worth exploring. Some times if go to a new area and think they cheapest out with a boring cave only to be greeted by a vast and beautiful vista to explore. The combat is exceptional. The new mechanic has you attaching elementals to enemies by carrying out chains of elemental attacks and then breaking them all in a satisfying manner. It takes a while to learn but once you do it's so much fun. I had my complaints about the story but it rarely interrupts the game too much. The UK/Irish actors (particularly Nia and her Welsh accent) do a great job but the American actors ham it up and are just a bit crap. Mitsuda brings his A game to the soundtrack. It's not as good as the first Xenoblade but there some great orchestrated pieces.

    Xenoblade 2 might be disappointing but it's still a wonderful compelling game and one of the rare games that justifies such a long run time.



  • #137
    TinCanMan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 324 ✭✭TinCanMan


    Return to Monkey Island [PS5] - An old fashioned point and click adventure game starring a somewhat incompetent wannabe pirate called Guybrush Ulysses Threepwood on his adventures. There is a lot of humour in this game and those that remember the older games from the 90’s will know what to expect. 

    GRIS [PS5] - A puzzle/platformer and an absolute visual masterpiece with some amazing art design, along with beautifully soothing music. This game is a pleasure to play and whilst not overly challenging it is a must play if you need something to relax to.

    Golf Club Wasteland [PS5] - I got this game for €1.49 and what a hidden gem it turned out to be. A 2D side scrolling puzzle golf game set on post-apocalyptic Earth with an amazing soundtrack and background radio narrative. The story is engaging and quite moving, especially as the game progresses. The crazy golf style of gameplay is both challenging and fun but the story is what really cements things. 

    Planet of Lana [PS5] - A puzzle adventure game where you embark on an adventure with a cat companion to aid you on the way. Your planet has been taken over by evil machines intent on taking all the inhabitants prisoner. You must work through many environmental puzzles avoiding danger as you try to rescue a friend and save the planet. Think along the lines of Limbo or Inside, although not quite as dark in atmosphere as those two. Well worth a playthrough.

    Dishonored: Death of the Outsider [PS5] - The third in the series and a shorter game than the first 2. You play as Billie Lurk, a lesser character from the previous games. Your goal is to kill the entity known as the Outsider. There are various ways to approach this game from brutal force to stealth. You have less powers available than in the other games. I enjoyed this but I'm saddened as we'll likely never see another Dishonored game, a series which I love. 

    The Callisto Protocol [PS5] - A third-person survival horror game set on Jupiter's moon Callisto. Think along the lines of Dead Space but shorter and more linear. You try to escape a maximum-security prison where the inmates have turned into hideous creatures and in the process try to uncover what is actually happening. This is graphically stunning and I loved it. I prefer shorter, more linear games as I just don’t have the time for longer games these days.

    Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes [PS5] - Got this for free so can't complain about it being a short game. Taking place in a single, dense map with heavy focus on stealth, this a standalone prologue to The Phantom Pain. The main aim is to rescue two prisoners from a Guantanomo Bay like detention camp in Cuba, with the emphasis being heavily put on stealth as a guns a blazing approach is not ideal especially when carrying an injured prisoner on your back. An enjoyable game but I wouldn't pay more than €5 considering its length.

    Metro Exodus [PS5] - The 3rd game in the Metro series. This takes you out of the Metro tunnels to semi-open-world environments. Although still somewhat linear this improves on the 1st two games, both of which I rate extremely highly. It's a fitting end to our protagonist Artyom's journey. Superb gameplay where stealth is encouraged and also visually gorgeous.  



  • #138
    da gamer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭da gamer


    Alan wake 2 - PS5

    Space marine 2 - PS5

    Indiana Jones and the great circle - Xbox series S

    Tomb raider 3 - PS5

    Life is strange 2 - PS4

    Tekken 8 - PS5

    Warhammer 40k boltgun - PS5

    Broken sword 2 remastered - Steam deck

    Doom the dark ages - Xbox series S

    Totally rad - Nes

    Spider-Man 2 - PS5

    Deliver us mars - Steam deck

    Mafia the old country - PS5



  • #139
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)
    21. Sin and Punishment (N64)
    22. Ninja Gaiden Ragebound (PC)
    23. Xenoblade 2 (Switch)
    24. Brandish: The Dark Revenant (PSP)

    Brandish: The Dark Revenant

    Another game with a strange bit of history behind it. Brandish was originally made for Japanese home computers where it received at least 3 sequels and a remake. The first two games were ported to the SNES but only the first one got released in the west. Brandish has a pretty unique control scheme. Your main character always faces upward. Turning rotates the world around the player 90 degrees. On old hardware this looked weird as the world would jump 90 degrees. Because of how weird the game looked it became the subject of YouTuber ire. So who is right about this game, angry YouTubers or the japanese who loved this game so much it spawned sequels and remakes. I mean how bad can a Falcom action RPG be?

    Brandish: The Dark Revenant is a remake of the first game for the PSP with its own history. It was released in Japan in 2009 but XSeed would take the localisation of the game on as a passion project, releasing the game in 2015, four years after the Vita released. It's safe to say that the japanese were right about Brandish. It's a fantastic action RPG whose unique control scheme makes it feel like a Etrian Odyssey esque dungeon crawler. The move to a 3D engine really helps the game as while it still has the weird turning system, its a lot easier to parse when the world rotates in 3D around the player.

    There's not a lot of story here. You play Ares who falls into a pit while battling his nemesis Dela who is out to collect a bounty on his head. Both find themselves in ancient underground ruins and Ares must escape with Dela in pursuit. Dela kind of plays a slapstick role with her catching up to Ares before activating a trap. It's a pretty good way of introducing new mechanics to the player.

    The dungeon design is excellent and only gets better as the game progresses and the combat really starts to gain nuance as tougher enemies enter the fray. Of course there's some excellent boss battles here as well. There's also a lot of item management, including the dreaded weapon degradation, but I found you had way more items than you needed so make use of them. While you have plenty of healing items, death comes quickly in Brandish. You should make active use of the bread item that sets up a temporary checkpoint.

    Brandish: The Dark Revenant is the best kind of remake. It stays faithful to the already great original while enhancing it for a new generation. The game even adds a new mode where you play as Dela making their way through 10 new floors of dungeon. The developers really went wild here with the dungeon and trap design and I'd highly recommend playing this after the main quest as it's fantastic. If there's one issue it's the music. Falcom make exception music and while the tracks here are incredible, each area of the dungeons lasts multiple hours and you end up hearing the same track a bit too many times.



  • #140
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    HALF-LIFE || PC

    A few years ago, I played Black Mesa (the fan remake of Half-Life) for the first time. My original opinions were that it was okay — I found it fun in some segments (the gun play was good) but the enemy variety and level design were kinda boring. Prior to playing it I had zero interest in Half-Life, didn't like 'em. Black Mesa increased my opinion slightly.

    I avoided the OG HL1 as it just didn't age that well in my books, it looked bad, the audio was of a terrible quality and I found it very dull overall.

    Well, I decided to, again, take a stab at the original Half-Life 1 and my opinions, likewise with Black Mesa, are more positive. I still couldn't grasp the plot, though it seemed rudimentary; "Aliens have taken over - Kill the boss of the aliens". The gunplay was also better than I thought. Big gripe for me though; I was lost without subtitles — I couldn't hear almost anything the NPCs were saying to me. I ultimately stopped caring half way through.

    I'm still indifferent to the Half-Life games. They're fun for a short burst of shooty-shooty but I still wouldn't consider myself a massive fan. I do believe the original version is way better than the Source version - I'll say that much. Another thing I did like about it was that it doesn't halt my gameplay in anyway - no cutscenes, no "go do this to unlock this", just straight-to-the-point, linear, classic shooter. I enjoyed it more, but I wouldn't replay it over and over. I just wanted to tick HL1 off.



  • #141
    Mr.Saturn
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,050 ✭✭✭Mr.Saturn


    Games Beaten 2025

    1. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door (Switch)
    2. Pokemon Emerald Legacy (GBA)
    3. Metroid Dread (Switch)
    4. Oxenfree (Switch)
    5. Super Mario RPG (Switch)
    6. Yakuza 6 (PS4)
    7. Yakuza: Like A Dragon (PS4)
    8. Like a Dragon Gaiden: Man Who Erased His Name (PS4)
    9. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS4)
    10. Astro's Playroom (PS5)
    11. Astro Bot (PS5)
    12. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PS5)
    13. Marvel's Spider Man 2 (PS5)
    14. Mario Kart World (Switch 2)
    15. Persona 5 Royal (Switch)
    16. Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe (PS5)
    17. Fatum Betula (Switch)
    18. Klona 2: Lunatea's Veil (Switch)

    I'm once again having a better gaming year than anyone else ever, so envy me in an orderly line. Apart from Spiderman 2, that bored the absolute hole out of me for some reason. Disappointing as I jived with the first two, but the ubibloat felt particularly strong in this one and it was strangely glitchy, which was surprising given the horrific amounts of care and money that went into making the thing — not to mention the first two were so very polished upon release.

    Yakuza 7: Like a Dragon is still leading the GOTY contenders so far. It was an absurdly well made genre shift and Ichiban might be one of the greatest characters you're ever likely to come across.



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  • #142
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    GAME: Star Wars: Dark Forces

    PLATFORM: PC

    I first played this on PS1 when I was only 7 or 8 years old - f**king hated it. I wasn't a Star Wars fan at the time and I just found it completely boring and way too complicated for my immature brain to handle. That, and FPS games were just not my thing. I wasn't a fan of Doom, Quake, 007 - none of it.

    This is the first time I've given it a proper go in almost 30 years and I have to say I have a new found appreciation for what the kiddies today now call "Boomer Shooters". Basically a Doom clone themed around Star Wars, and a damn good one at that. I took more of a liking to Doom style shooters a few years ago but it was only Doom I gave any attention to out of all of 'em (I beat it back in 2019 on PS4). This is the first one I've strayed off on and legitimately enjoyed (probably more than Doom!). The gunplay is extremely satisfying and, as it was the remaster I played here, I'm glad they didn't give it too much of a modern coat of paint, both visually and mechanically — there is no quick-save option — you have to beat the entire level without dying once, or risk restarting the whole level again. The last mission frustrated the hell out of me. It was pure trial-and-error at this stage — I'd get closer and closer to the final boss and just keep dying every time. Eventually I did it.

    I'm gonna try the sequels to this game, I've heard they're not too bad.

    202509~3.JPG


  • #143
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123817310#Comment_123817310

    The sequels are a little over rated, dark forces is far and away my favourite.

    Jedi Knight was mond blowing at release, it was the early days of 3D acceleration but going back to it it's not held up. The mission pack has some pretty tough puzzles that can leave you wandering for ages.

    The Quake 3 engine games are fun but they are typical Raven Soft games, decent but nothing special. Some fun force powers but it's kind of like a poor man's psi ops.



  • #144
    TinCanMan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 324 ✭✭TinCanMan


    Return to Monkey Island [PS5] - An old fashioned point and click adventure game starring a somewhat incompetent wannabe pirate called Guybrush Ulysses Threepwood on his adventures. There is a lot of humour in this game and those that remember the older games from the 90’s will know what to expect.

    GRIS [PS5] - A puzzle/platformer and an absolute visual masterpiece with some amazing art design, along with beautifully soothing music. This game is a pleasure to play and whilst not overly challenging it is a must play if you need something to relax to.

    Golf Club Wasteland [PS5] - I got this game for €1.49 and what a hidden gem it turned out to be. A 2D side scrolling puzzle golf game set on post-apocalyptic Earth with an amazing soundtrack and background radio narrative. The story is engaging and quite moving, especially as the game progresses. The crazy golf style of gameplay is both challenging and fun but the story is what really cements things.

    Planet of Lana [PS5] - A puzzle adventure game where you embark on an adventure with a cat companion to aid you on the way. Your planet has been taken over by evil machines intent on taking all the inhabitants prisoner. You must work through many environmental puzzles avoiding danger as you try to rescue a friend and save the planet. Think along the lines of Limbo or Inside, although not quite as dark in atmosphere as those two. Well worth a playthrough.

    Dishonored: Death of the Outsider [PS5] - The third in the series and a shorter game than the first 2. You play as Billie Lurk, a lesser character from the previous games. Your goal is to kill the entity known as the Outsider. There are various ways to approach this game from brutal force to stealth. You have less powers available than in the other games. I enjoyed this but I'm saddened as we'll likely never see another Dishonored game, a series which I love.

    The Callisto Protocol [PS5] - A third-person survival horror game set on Jupiter's moon Callisto. Think along the lines of Dead Space but shorter and more linear. You try to escape a maximum-security prison where the inmates have turned into hideous creatures and in the process try to uncover what is actually happening. This is graphically stunning and I loved it. I prefer shorter, more linear games as I just don’t have the time for longer games these days.

    Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes [PS5] - Got this for free so can't complain about it being a short game. Taking place in a single, dense map with heavy focus on stealth, this a standalone prologue to The Phantom Pain. The main aim is to rescue two prisoners from a Guantanomo Bay like detention camp in Cuba, with the emphasis being heavily put on stealth as a guns a blazing approach is not ideal especially when carrying an injured prisoner on your back. An enjoyable game but I wouldn't pay more than €5 considering its length.

    Metro Exodus [PS5] - The 3rd game in the Metro series. This takes you out of the Metro tunnels to semi-open-world environments. Although still somewhat linear this improves on the 1st two games, both of which I rate extremely highly. It's a fitting end to our protagonist Artyom's journey. Superb gameplay where stealth is encouraged and also visually gorgeous.

    Assassins Creed Mirage [PS5] - A more compact world than recent iterations and I really liked it for that. You play as a street thief who works his way into the order of the assassins with the ultimate aim of dismantling the Order of the Ancients. This game has a much tighter skill tree which I also liked and also puts a lot of emphasis on stealth. This felt like more of a return to the series roots.



  • #145
    da gamer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭da gamer


    Alan wake 2 - PS5

    Space marine 2 - PS5

    Indiana Jones and the great circle - Xbox series S

    Tomb raider 3 - PS5

    Life is strange 2 - PS4

    Tekken 8 - PS5

    Warhammer 40k boltgun - PS5

    Broken sword 2 remastered - Steam deck

    Doom the dark ages - Xbox series S

    Totally rad - Nes

    Spider-Man 2 - PS5

    Deliver us mars - Steam deck

    Mafia the old country - PS5

    Assassins creed mirage - PS5



  • #146
    Retr0gamer
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 54,150 CMod ✭✭✭✭Retr0gamer


    1. Wizardry Variants Daphne (Mobile)
    2. Spiderman (2018) (PC)
    3. Track & Field (Arcade)
    4. Ace Combat 6 (XBox 360)
    5. Mars after Midnight (Playdate)
    6. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black (PC)
    7. Super Mario Wonder (Switch)
    8. Dragon Quest 3 HD 2D (PC)
    9. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (SNES)
    10. Thronglets (Android)
    11. Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse (NES)
    12. Metal Wolf Chaos XD (PS4)
    13. Tomb Raider 2: The Golden Mask (PC)
    14. Gimmick! (NES)
    15. Faselei! (NeoGeo Pocket Colour)
    16. Tomb Raider 3: The Lost Artifact (PC)
    17. Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC)
    18. Hammerin' Hero (PSP)
    19. Parappa the Rapper (PSP)
    20. Philosoma (PS1)
    21. Sin and Punishment (N64)
    22. Ninja Gaiden Ragebound (PC)
    23. Xenoblade 2 (Switch)
    24. Brandish: The Dark Revenant (PSP)
    25. Midnight Resistance (Arcade)

    Midnight Resistance

    Good old Data East. Their games are always pretty great but just shy of greatness and Midnight Resistance is the same. I won't even go into the rumours that the company was a front for Yakuza operations.

    Midnight Resistance is a run and gun game very much like Contra. The reason I was playing this game was to assess it's suitability for a high score challenge because it has a very weird controls scheme. While you move around and shoot just like a contra game, the arcade cabinet allowed you to aim in eight directions using a rotary joystick. It allows you to move it one direction while aiming, and changing your aim to another direction. It's unfortunately very difficult to replicate on modern joypads.

    While midnight resistance isn't quite as good as the best contra games, it's still a really fun game. Levels are pretty well designed with some great variety. Data East had a flair for the cinematic and there's some really great set pieces here. On stage has you fighting a squadron of jet fighters that fly in formation in the background before attacking. Another has you fighting a giant battleship with an insane amount of guns on board. There's also quite a lot of enemy saw blades.

    Visually the game has a generic military look but later stages get more visually interesting. I always liked stage 3's forest level and there's some weird enemies later on, like a strange man made of energy that is never explained and a truly grotesque final boss. The music is well composed although I think the instrumentation is a little too harsh.

    If you can find a way to playing this game with a control scheme that works it's worth a play through. Despite being an arcade game, it's remarkably fair and would be an easy enough one credit clear. There's a two player mode as well which is a lot of fun. The game is more well known in Europe than America as it received some excellent ports to home computers, with a great Amiga port. I'm more familiar with the commodore 64 port which was excellent. The best port would be the Megadrive port which has some decent control schemes and a soundtrack that was re-arranged by Final Fantasy Tactics and Valkyria Chronicles composer Hiroshi Sakimoto which sounds incredible and way better than the arcade's soundtrack.



  • #147
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    GAME: Grand Theft Auto San Andreas: The Definitive Edition

    PLATFORM: PS5

    Despite the fact we got better games in the series since, I'm still shocked at how stacked San Andreas is in terms of content. I still have a couple of loose ends to tie up to get 100%, figured I'd get the story out the way so I can stick a podcast on and do the rest.

    Being the DE, I'm happy to report I ran into zero game-breaking bugs nor glaring glitches as opposed to when I first played it in 2021. Some of the character models still look wonky but I'm not nearly as sore in the rim about it as a lot of that toxic Reddit crowd was, and still is. It's still San Andreas, and is still a fun game to play from start to finish, and the QOL additions they included made it less of a chore for certain portions (the checkpoint system and autosave function are a godsend)



  • #148
    Mr.Fantastic
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 782 ✭✭✭Mr.Fantastic


    1. Metaphor:ReFantazio | PS5
    2. Ninja Gaiden Black | Series X
    3. Still wakes the deep | Series X
    4. Tactical Breach Wizards | Steam Deck
    5. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Series X
    6. Avowed | Series X
    7. Astro Bot | PS5
    8. Thank goodness you're here | Steam Deck
    9. Silent Hill 2 Remake | PS5
    10. Star Wars Outlaws | PS5
    11. Blue Prince | Series X
    12. Clair Obscura: Expedition 33 | Series x
    13. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black | Series X
    14. Doom: The Dark Ages | Series X
    15. Saga Frontier 2 Remastered | Switch 2
    16. Death Stranding 2:On the beach | PS5

    Death Stranding 2:On the beach

    Overall thought this was a better game than the first and thought the setting was good, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who didn't like the first one.

    The location of Australia was pretty cool, they did a good job of showing snapshots of the different regions. The ending went full Kojima with the characters looking at the camera directly.

    Currently playing Hades 2, Zelda TOTK still have one dungeon left I believe and also Hollow Knight Silksong all on my switch 2.

    Have a few I can tuck into on the PS5 aswell MGS delta , Kingdom deliverance 2, stellar blade, armoured core. There is almost too may games.



  • #149
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    1. Timesplitters || PlayStation 5
    2. Dynasty Warriors Origins || PlayStation 5
    3. Red Dead Redemption || PlayStation 5
    4. Red Dead Redemption 2 || PC
    5. Grand Theft Auto V || PC
    6. Streets of Rage || Mega Drive
    7. Streets of Rage 2 || Mega Drive
    8. Streets of Rage 3 || Mega Drive
    9. Devil May Cry || PC
    10. Metal Slug || PC
    11. Metal Slug X || PC
    12. Mercs || Mega Drive
    13. Revenge of Shinobi || Mega Drive
    14. Shinobi 3 || Mega Drive
    15. Super Mario Land || Game Boy
    16. Castlevania Legends || Game Boy
    17. Castlevania Chronicles || PlayStation
    18. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow || PC
    19. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge || Game Boy
    20. Castlevania Bloodlines || Mega Drive
    21. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood || TurboGrafx-16
    22. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach || PlayStation 5
    23. Emily is Away || PC
    24. Emily is Away Too || PC
    25. Half-Life || PC
    26. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered || PC
    27. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas || PC
    28. Tekken 8 || PlayStation 5
    29. Tekken 3 || PlayStation 5

    GAME: Tekken 8

    PLATFORM: PS5

    Despite it being an option, I'm not a big fan of the new combo hotkey feature they've added. Once enabled, all you have to do is press what is shown on the screen and your character will do all of the rest. It makes it way too easy. But what I found equally frustrating was that the game seems to expect you to use it. If I don't, my opponent goes apeshit on me.

    Other than that it was okay. I feel like I'm the only Tekken player that plays these games for the actual story. I couldn't give a toss about any of the online crap and microtransaction nonsense it throws at me. Story Mode and Arcade Mode - that's all I play for.

    It's gonna take me a while to adapt to the way this game plays if I wanna continue playing further but all in all it's pretty decent.

    GAME: Tekken 3

    PLATFORM: PS5

    The same day I got Tekken 8, I noticed Tekken 3 was added to PlayStation Plus. This game is pure comfort food for me. I beat arcade mode with every fighter, unlocking every ending, and unlocking every hidden/unlockable character in the process and also beating their arcade modes as well.

    Took me about 2 hours or thereabouts.

    Post edited by Gamer Bhoy 89 on


  • #150
    da gamer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 928 ✭✭✭da gamer


    Alan wake 2 - PS5

    Space marine 2 - PS5

    Indiana Jones and the great circle - Xbox series S

    Tomb raider 3 - PS5

    Life is strange 2 - PS4

    Tekken 8 - PS5

    Warhammer 40k boltgun - PS5

    Broken sword 2 remastered - Steam deck

    Doom the dark ages - Xbox series S

    Totally rad - Nes

    Spider-Man 2 - PS5

    Deliver us mars - Steam deck

    Mafia the old country - PS5

    Assassins creed mirage - PS5

    Silent Hill 2 - PS5



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  • #151
    Gamer Bhoy 89
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,664 ✭✭✭Gamer Bhoy 89


    1. Timesplitters || PlayStation 5
    2. Dynasty Warriors Origins || PlayStation 5
    3. Red Dead Redemption || PlayStation 5
    4. Red Dead Redemption 2 || PC
    5. Grand Theft Auto V || PC
    6. Streets of Rage || Mega Drive
    7. Streets of Rage 2 || Mega Drive
    8. Streets of Rage 3 || Mega Drive
    9. Devil May Cry || PC
    10. Metal Slug || PC
    11. Metal Slug X || PC
    12. Mercs || Mega Drive
    13. Revenge of Shinobi || Mega Drive
    14. Shinobi 3 || Mega Drive
    15. Super Mario Land || Game Boy
    16. Castlevania Legends || Game Boy
    17. Castlevania Chronicles || PlayStation
    18. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow || PC
    19. Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge || Game Boy
    20. Castlevania Bloodlines || Mega Drive
    21. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood || TurboGrafx-16
    22. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach || PlayStation 5
    23. Emily is Away || PC
    24. Emily is Away Too || PC
    25. Half-Life || PC
    26. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered || PC
    27. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas || PC
    28. Tekken 8 || PlayStation 5
    29. Tekken 3 || PlayStation 5
    30. Mortal Kombat 1 || PlayStation 5

    GAME: Mortal Kombat 1 (and Khaos Reigns Expansion)

    PLATFORM: PS5

    Hadn't played an MK game since MK11, and I pretty much did here what I did then - blasted through the story and probably won't touch it again (maybe I'll come back and play the towers, who knows).

    Solid fighter as expected, but my god have they gone a bit mental plotwise. Like Tekken, I tend to follow the story and am fascinated by the lore of this one. But it's gone a bit cuckoo with all this multiverse nonsense (thanks, Marvel).

    It's still a good game, and it's probably the best an MK game has ever felt control-wise, but I'd gather the meat of the game is in its online modes, which I'm just not interested in and never have been. It's also choc-full of microtransactions and other nonsense. I miss the days where you could play through a fighting game and actually unlock cool things, especially older MK titles like Deadly Alliance. I loved grinding "Koins" to unlock things in the game's "Krypt", all without putting an extra cent towards it. I'll always relish those days.



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