I mentioned appreciating my good Warhammer 40,000 games in my last entry. Space Marine is one such game. Always good for a quick taste of the power and majesty of what it is like to blast some orks as one of Primarch Guilliman's finest, the Ultramarines. I wanted to see if anyone was playing the multiplayer mode of this still, in light of Eternal Crusade seeming dead. No luck, at least not at that time. I may try again sometime, but even if no one is playing, the campaign is still pretty cool.
Another game I jumped into for a little bit on a whim was Just Cause 2. It's just a big open-world playground where the object of the game is literally just to go in and cause chaos around the countryside to somehow whip up enough anti-government sentiment to topple it. It's ludicrous, but the game world is a gorgeous tropical paradise where everything can be flown or driven, and the character has a great grapple-arm and parachute combination to make the most of doing daring stunts.
I accidentally clicked on Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Edition in my library the other day, but I might have carried on playing it had my save from the original version of the game been usable. Alas, it was not, so at some point I will have to restart the game in this version. That will be fun, when the time comes.
I have made record progress through Spelunky. I managed to get the Tunnel Man everything he needed to open up a permanent shortcut to the temple zone, and I've been running nothing but that zone ever since, trying to familiarize myself with its traps and denizens. It is by far the most ruthless set of stages yet. I've made it through to Olmec several times, but have yet to manage to beat him and win the game. That is my next goal. Eventually I would like to be able to go from the entrance of the caves through Olmec, and even on to the hell zone. Who knows if I'll ever be able to pull that off, though.
I also continue to make progress through The Witcher 3. I am to the point now where I am ready to rescue Dandelion from his captors. I have seen Triss and the other mages off from Novigrad with the help of the former Redanian spymaster, Sigi I think he's called. Next I'm going to pay a visit to the sorceress Philippa Eilhart at the request of the Redanian King Radovan. I think I'm getting these names right. I've also been going around Velen doing low level quests, trying to catch up my quest log to my character level. There's a lot in this game.
I've also found myself playing XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within again lately. I'm allowing myself to reload after bad moves this time, and things are shaping up well for the very early stages of this campaign. I've just finished the first month and have already captured a live Sectoid for research and I'm working on unlocking beam weapons, now. This is such a cool game.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
Though This Battle Is Lost, We Will Fight On, Brothers!
It's time to pour one out for Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade. The multiplayer third-person shooter with aspirations to the Battlefield-like genre blend of open conflict both on foot and in vehicles, and with a long-promised-but-never-realized open world component, seems to be basically dead. I fired it up last night looking for a game I was never able to match into, and coincidentally also yesterday the developers posted a blog entry that amounted to them issuing and apology, lamenting their low numbers, and promising to do more. I can't see the game pulling out of this tailspin, to be honest. Games are a rough business at the best of times, and in the current environment a game like this that was released far to early to Early Access, that eternal curse, with no fanfare, is as good as dead, and no doubt destined to be as forgotten as any lost civilization in the darkness of Old Night.
I will hug my Relic 40K games close and support them as much as I can going forward.
The 4X bug came back to bite me over the weekend, and after reinstalling both of Amplitude's Endless Legend and Endless Space, I finished off suspended campaigns in both. I was able to pull out a win in Legend, as the Drakken, taking a diplomatic victory. I think this game must have been in progress for two years or more, but it's done now. In Space, however, I wasn't able to salvage the setup I'd found myself in. Somehow I had two games set up as myself playing the Pilgrims against a single other faction, the Hissho. I'm not sure how that happened, other than maybe they both started out as the same game in the base game, and I then completed it there in addition to in the expanded version of the game. In either case, I ended up conceding, unable to do any real damage to the other faction's fleets in war. I was inspired to start a new campaign, though, as the hostile Cravers, which exist only to consume and expand, and in fact cannot take part in diplomacy. It's early on in that campaign yet; I'm still expanding to fill my starting area and having to tech up to the point where I can get further out to start warring on other species.
I've been doing daily sessions of Spelunky, too. I'm still trying to get good again. I've never been great at the game, but I do hope to finish it someday, still. I think if I just keep at it regularly it'll begin to happen eventually.
Every time I play The Witcher 3, I'm convinced again that it is one of the best games out there. I'm pretty invested into playing Gwent within the game, as well. I still only have cards for the Northern Realms deck, but I may be on my way to getting the right cards for the Scoia'tel deck, as well. As goes the main thrust of the quest to find Ciri, I'm currently trying to track down Dandelion, who may have seen her recently. That involves talking to other people in the area who he's had contact with, to get a clue on where he might be, since the tavern he runs with Zoltan Chivay was left abandoned. I can hardly wait to play more.
I will hug my Relic 40K games close and support them as much as I can going forward.
The 4X bug came back to bite me over the weekend, and after reinstalling both of Amplitude's Endless Legend and Endless Space, I finished off suspended campaigns in both. I was able to pull out a win in Legend, as the Drakken, taking a diplomatic victory. I think this game must have been in progress for two years or more, but it's done now. In Space, however, I wasn't able to salvage the setup I'd found myself in. Somehow I had two games set up as myself playing the Pilgrims against a single other faction, the Hissho. I'm not sure how that happened, other than maybe they both started out as the same game in the base game, and I then completed it there in addition to in the expanded version of the game. In either case, I ended up conceding, unable to do any real damage to the other faction's fleets in war. I was inspired to start a new campaign, though, as the hostile Cravers, which exist only to consume and expand, and in fact cannot take part in diplomacy. It's early on in that campaign yet; I'm still expanding to fill my starting area and having to tech up to the point where I can get further out to start warring on other species.
I've been doing daily sessions of Spelunky, too. I'm still trying to get good again. I've never been great at the game, but I do hope to finish it someday, still. I think if I just keep at it regularly it'll begin to happen eventually.
Every time I play The Witcher 3, I'm convinced again that it is one of the best games out there. I'm pretty invested into playing Gwent within the game, as well. I still only have cards for the Northern Realms deck, but I may be on my way to getting the right cards for the Scoia'tel deck, as well. As goes the main thrust of the quest to find Ciri, I'm currently trying to track down Dandelion, who may have seen her recently. That involves talking to other people in the area who he's had contact with, to get a clue on where he might be, since the tavern he runs with Zoltan Chivay was left abandoned. I can hardly wait to play more.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Is this Ninja Theory?
I was in the mood to try something new last night, so I grabbed my copy of the early PS3 game Heavenly Sword, the first prominent character action game from Ninja Theory, who have gone on to make some well regarded games in the genre since. To be honest, I expected more to like here. It seems pretty derivative of God of War in some ways, and perhaps just emblematic of where games were back in 2007 in others. I can see glimmers of what the developer would come to be known for here, but there's not enough to make me interested in playing through the whole game, especially after a taste of the awful Sixaxis use on display in the game's "aftertouch" system. That can be turned off, thankfully, but then you're still left with a game with a bad frame rate and a ridiculously dressed lingerie model heroine (and her whole village who sleep in full battle regalia out in the cold, snowy open on flagstones with no fires or blankets, weirdly), with a story I am not invested in. Everything this game attempts has been done better in the decade since, if not previously, so though it seems cold and dispassionate, the calculus in my head points to it being a waste of my leisure time to continue playing Heavenly Sword when there are so many other more interesting things to spend it with.
Among those more interesting things are Spelunky, and Mark of the Ninja, both of which I have dipped into this week. They're both good to have on hand for quick fixes of action, I think. Mark of the Ninja seems to have some encouragement of returning to past levels to find secrets and things, as well has having a new game+ mode, I noticed. I'll play some more of that one, for sure.
I'm also continuing to delve into Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. I'm starting to get more familiar with its mechanics and workings, which I have stated before are just enough to make for a good tactical wargame without being to overwhelming. I like it. I've done around a third of the campaign scenarios at this point, I believe.
Among those more interesting things are Spelunky, and Mark of the Ninja, both of which I have dipped into this week. They're both good to have on hand for quick fixes of action, I think. Mark of the Ninja seems to have some encouragement of returning to past levels to find secrets and things, as well has having a new game+ mode, I noticed. I'll play some more of that one, for sure.
I'm also continuing to delve into Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. I'm starting to get more familiar with its mechanics and workings, which I have stated before are just enough to make for a good tactical wargame without being to overwhelming. I like it. I've done around a third of the campaign scenarios at this point, I believe.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Caught up to Horus on the Way to the Siege of Terra
For probably the first time ever, I am current as goes the main numbered series of Horus Heresy novels, 47 books in! I know you're thinking that now I might go and read something unrelated, and while I still may, I do have all five of the currently released Primarchs series novels to read, as well. It's not clear how that series will evolve as time goes on, but it does already contain offshoot short stories and audio dramas in addition to the main novels which each, to this point, seem to focus directly on one of the space marine primarchs. Out now are the ones for Roboute Guilliman, Leman Russ, Magnus the Red, Perturabo, and Lorgar. I may begin one of those very soon.
Impressions on the last few main series novels are below. Beware spoilers, if you are reading the series, as well.
The Crimson King - Magnus and the Thousand Sons' first book since very early in the series. The book centers around Ahriman and his crew's attempt to track down the pieces of Magnus' shattered psyche/soul. A few remembrancers from Prospero, a Knight Errant, Yasu Nagasena, and a Space Wolves watch pack also star.
Tallarn - The collection of a few short stories and a novella set on Tallarn during the Iron Warriors' invasion. Perturabo is looking for something before being eventually called away by Horus to lay siege to Terra. The stories are mostly told from the point of view of Imperial army personnel, though the novella Ironclad also features an Officio Assassinorum clade operative, Alpha Legion operatives, and one key Iron Warriors battle brother encased in a Dreadnought's sarcophagus.
Ruinstorm - Sanguinius, Guilliman, and the Lion leave Macragge after the dissolution of Imperium Secundus and make their way through the titular warp disturbance toward Terra. Curze is in tow, as well, and each primarch faces a personal trial before their paths are made clear. Ruinstorm has direct ties back to David Annandale's previous book in the series The Damnation of Pythos, as well as Fear to Tread, The Unremembered Empire, and Angels of Caliban.
Old Earth - The main story here is Vulkan's journey from his resurrection at Mount Deathfire on Nocturne to The Emperor's side by the Golden Throne on Terra. The book also sees an end to the stories of Shadrak Meduson and the Shattered Legions agglomeration forged in the wake of the Dropsite Massacre on Isstvan V. Another subplot sees the Eldar Farseer Eldrad Ulthran work in concert with Barthusa Narek, errant Word Bearer, to help Vulkan on his journey, permanently ending the lives of many seemingly immortal members of the Cabal along the way, sparing John Grammaticus and Alivia Sureka, notably.
Book 48 is slated to release next month, another collection of novellas and short stories, but there's no word yet of 49. I'm guessing that one may be the same. Book 50 will likely be pretty important. Yarant or Beta-Garmon, maybe. Or even the kick-off to the Siege of Terra.
Impressions on the last few main series novels are below. Beware spoilers, if you are reading the series, as well.
The Crimson King - Magnus and the Thousand Sons' first book since very early in the series. The book centers around Ahriman and his crew's attempt to track down the pieces of Magnus' shattered psyche/soul. A few remembrancers from Prospero, a Knight Errant, Yasu Nagasena, and a Space Wolves watch pack also star.
Tallarn - The collection of a few short stories and a novella set on Tallarn during the Iron Warriors' invasion. Perturabo is looking for something before being eventually called away by Horus to lay siege to Terra. The stories are mostly told from the point of view of Imperial army personnel, though the novella Ironclad also features an Officio Assassinorum clade operative, Alpha Legion operatives, and one key Iron Warriors battle brother encased in a Dreadnought's sarcophagus.
Ruinstorm - Sanguinius, Guilliman, and the Lion leave Macragge after the dissolution of Imperium Secundus and make their way through the titular warp disturbance toward Terra. Curze is in tow, as well, and each primarch faces a personal trial before their paths are made clear. Ruinstorm has direct ties back to David Annandale's previous book in the series The Damnation of Pythos, as well as Fear to Tread, The Unremembered Empire, and Angels of Caliban.
Old Earth - The main story here is Vulkan's journey from his resurrection at Mount Deathfire on Nocturne to The Emperor's side by the Golden Throne on Terra. The book also sees an end to the stories of Shadrak Meduson and the Shattered Legions agglomeration forged in the wake of the Dropsite Massacre on Isstvan V. Another subplot sees the Eldar Farseer Eldrad Ulthran work in concert with Barthusa Narek, errant Word Bearer, to help Vulkan on his journey, permanently ending the lives of many seemingly immortal members of the Cabal along the way, sparing John Grammaticus and Alivia Sureka, notably.
Book 48 is slated to release next month, another collection of novellas and short stories, but there's no word yet of 49. I'm guessing that one may be the same. Book 50 will likely be pretty important. Yarant or Beta-Garmon, maybe. Or even the kick-off to the Siege of Terra.
Blasting in the New Year
I caught a bit of the DICE bug over the weekend, and decided to crack into both Battlefield 1 and Star Wars: Battlefront for the first times. I had some good fun with both of them, the only real sour note was when a player on the other team logged on with unsavory ideological messages conveyed in his player emblem.
I was impressed with the graphics of both games; the Frostbite engine is really something. Both games were fun and had a good feel to what I played. I get the impression that Battlefront may be a little more casual and arcade game-like, and Battlefield 1 a little more geared toward the classic hardcore shooter. I'd like to play more of both, but it's hard to say whether I'll put too much time into them. It would probably behoove me to get Battlefront II, instead, so maybe I'll lean toward Battlefield 1 more if I do want to play a game like this.
I played a little Rocket League, as well. That game is as smooth and fun as ever. It's really smartly designed and presented. Again, I should play more of this.
Mark of the Ninja is another new one for me. I chose this one to knock off of the backlog both because I was kind of feeling like a 2D action game and because it starts with M. It's much less the platformer I was kind of craving and much more of a hardcore stealth game pulled off nearly flawlessly in two dimensions. It's a joy to play. Everything feels crisp and intentional, and there's very little room to fumble your actions in the control scheme. The levels branch nicely and offer alternate pathways through the spaces, which is impressive for 2D environments. It's like Klei wanted to bring over all the best parts of immersive sim stealth into 2D, and it really works. I played a solid 2 hours in my first session.
I also finally got around to trying out Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. It's a hex-based, turn-based war game, as I anticipated, but not quite so hardcore and forbidding as I had thought it might be. It's maybe not even much more complex than Battle of Tallarn; indeed it lacks the import that game puts on unit facing on the battlefield. I'm not sure it is more complex at all, come to think of it. It offers more units, sure, and they're upgradable, but I'm not sure there is that much more to it. And it doesn't quite raise the production values bar as high as I'd like above Tallarn, either. It is better presented, to be sure, but not that much better presented.
Regardless, I'm having a good time with it, and the campaign seems pretty long and involved, with a lot of scenarios. I'm definitely going to keep playing this one, and I'm sure I'll have more impressions as I delve further in.
I was impressed with the graphics of both games; the Frostbite engine is really something. Both games were fun and had a good feel to what I played. I get the impression that Battlefront may be a little more casual and arcade game-like, and Battlefield 1 a little more geared toward the classic hardcore shooter. I'd like to play more of both, but it's hard to say whether I'll put too much time into them. It would probably behoove me to get Battlefront II, instead, so maybe I'll lean toward Battlefield 1 more if I do want to play a game like this.
I played a little Rocket League, as well. That game is as smooth and fun as ever. It's really smartly designed and presented. Again, I should play more of this.
Mark of the Ninja is another new one for me. I chose this one to knock off of the backlog both because I was kind of feeling like a 2D action game and because it starts with M. It's much less the platformer I was kind of craving and much more of a hardcore stealth game pulled off nearly flawlessly in two dimensions. It's a joy to play. Everything feels crisp and intentional, and there's very little room to fumble your actions in the control scheme. The levels branch nicely and offer alternate pathways through the spaces, which is impressive for 2D environments. It's like Klei wanted to bring over all the best parts of immersive sim stealth into 2D, and it really works. I played a solid 2 hours in my first session.
I also finally got around to trying out Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. It's a hex-based, turn-based war game, as I anticipated, but not quite so hardcore and forbidding as I had thought it might be. It's maybe not even much more complex than Battle of Tallarn; indeed it lacks the import that game puts on unit facing on the battlefield. I'm not sure it is more complex at all, come to think of it. It offers more units, sure, and they're upgradable, but I'm not sure there is that much more to it. And it doesn't quite raise the production values bar as high as I'd like above Tallarn, either. It is better presented, to be sure, but not that much better presented.
Regardless, I'm having a good time with it, and the campaign seems pretty long and involved, with a lot of scenarios. I'm definitely going to keep playing this one, and I'm sure I'll have more impressions as I delve further in.
Monday, January 1, 2018
2017 Book of the Year
Book of the Year: The Master of Mankind
Honorable Mention: Angels of Caliban/Praetorian of Dorn
I'm completely unable to decide between the two runners-up, but the BOTY has to go to Aaron Dembski-Bowden's examination of The Emperor and his closest confidants in the war in the webway during the great heresy war. It was illuminating.
This year in reading has been almost entirely about Warhammer 40,000 and its forebear, the Horus Heresy. I finished 20 whole books this year, which must be a record.
Tallarn
The Crimson King
Shattered Legions
Warhammer 40,000: 8th Edition
Dark Imperium
Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch
Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan
Gathering Storm: Fall of Cadia
War Zone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus
Garro
The Master of Mankind
Corax
Praetorian of Dorn
Angels of Caliban
The Silent War
The Path of Heaven
Eye of Terra
The Ninja
Pharos
War Without End
Previous years' tallies:
2016:20ish
2015:4ish
2014:18
2013:9
I'm hoping to draw up to being current with the Heresy series this year, and read more 40K fiction in addition to other fiction and non-fiction. I'm trying to lean more into reading, since my booklog is pretty extensive, as well.
Honorable Mention: Angels of Caliban/Praetorian of Dorn
I'm completely unable to decide between the two runners-up, but the BOTY has to go to Aaron Dembski-Bowden's examination of The Emperor and his closest confidants in the war in the webway during the great heresy war. It was illuminating.
This year in reading has been almost entirely about Warhammer 40,000 and its forebear, the Horus Heresy. I finished 20 whole books this year, which must be a record.
Tallarn
The Crimson King
Shattered Legions
Warhammer 40,000: 8th Edition
Dark Imperium
Gathering Storm: Rise of the Primarch
Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan
Gathering Storm: Fall of Cadia
War Zone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus
Garro
The Master of Mankind
Corax
Praetorian of Dorn
Angels of Caliban
The Silent War
The Path of Heaven
Eye of Terra
The Ninja
Pharos
War Without End
Previous years' tallies:
2016:20ish
2015:4ish
2014:18
2013:9
I'm hoping to draw up to being current with the Heresy series this year, and read more 40K fiction in addition to other fiction and non-fiction. I'm trying to lean more into reading, since my booklog is pretty extensive, as well.
2017 Wrap-up with GOTY!
This has been a good year in games. The Switch was released with a killer couple of entries in the Zelda and Mario series, as well as a number of other good to great Nintendo first party releases, and the other platforms saw a bunch of other huge AAA releases as per usual. My picks for honors this year will probably seem contrarian or unconventional, but of course this is one man's point of view, and intensely personally focused.
My 2017 Game of the Year: Mass Effect Andromeda
Honorable Mention: Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer
There you have them. I was more into the newest Mass Effect for its duration than any other game released this year. I know the wider response to the game has been negative, and I count myself lucky that I was able to look over whatever the collective complaints were to the entertainment beyond. I wish Bioware was able to follow through on whatever the DLC plans had been and with the logical subsequent series entries, but sadly it looks like Mass Effect my be being mothballed instead. My message for anyone thinking of playing the game is to go for it, and enjoy. It's got the best combat and world of the series, a good cast of supporting characters and villains, and a very cool speculative sci-fi premise.
Rise of the Necromancer brought a whole new game to Diablo III, just like every new class is a new way to play. This was basically more of one of my all-time favorite games, and if I take into account how it brought me back to the game for a good month and a half this year, there's no denying it deserves this runner-up spot in my game of the year consideration.
There was a real wealth of other things I played this year that were very good, like the aforementioned Zelda and Mario games, as well as Mario Kart, Opus Magnum, Destiny 2, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, Dawn of War III, and many others I think I'll love but have yet to get around to, like Prey, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Nier: Automata, Hollow Knight, Battle Brothers, and more.
As for game achievements and backlog progress this year, here's the Pile of Skulls:
Assassin's Creed Unity
Assassin's Creed Unity: Dead Kings
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Crimson Shroud
Democracy 3
Destiny 2
Diablo III Anniversary Event
Diablo III: Necromancer 70
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (Necromancer)
Dishonored 2 (Emily, Low Chaos)
Dungeon of the Endless
FFXI: Samurai Artifact
Hexcells
Hexcells Infinite
Hexcells Infinite (60 Down)
Hexcells Plus
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Spec Ops: The Line
Super Mario Odyssey
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Apocalypse Campaign (Loyalists)
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Apocalypse Campaign (Traitors)
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Resurrection Campaign (Loyalists)
Titanfall 2
I count 23 this year, the same as last year, coincidentally:
2017:23
2017:23
2015:26
2014:32
2013:33
2012:23
2011:21
2010:23
2009:19
2008:26
2007:15
I also tally a total of 21 additions to the backlog this year, though I don't really keep track of how many it was reduced by in the same time. Suffice it to say it doesn't look much smaller, though I know I knocked a few things off. Maybe I'll manage more in 2018.
I don't have much in the way of new year's resolutions other than my usual desire to play more strategy games and RPGs. I'll also add character action games this year--Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, et al. Even if I have to play them on easy. If there's one thing I want done and dusted this year, it's The Witcher 3. I don't know why I deprive myself of it like I do, honestly. It's very good.
2018 releases I'm looking forward to include Bayonetta 3, and maybe more on Cyberpunk 2077. I can't think of anything else at the moment.
My 2017 Game of the Year: Mass Effect Andromeda
Honorable Mention: Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer
There you have them. I was more into the newest Mass Effect for its duration than any other game released this year. I know the wider response to the game has been negative, and I count myself lucky that I was able to look over whatever the collective complaints were to the entertainment beyond. I wish Bioware was able to follow through on whatever the DLC plans had been and with the logical subsequent series entries, but sadly it looks like Mass Effect my be being mothballed instead. My message for anyone thinking of playing the game is to go for it, and enjoy. It's got the best combat and world of the series, a good cast of supporting characters and villains, and a very cool speculative sci-fi premise.
Rise of the Necromancer brought a whole new game to Diablo III, just like every new class is a new way to play. This was basically more of one of my all-time favorite games, and if I take into account how it brought me back to the game for a good month and a half this year, there's no denying it deserves this runner-up spot in my game of the year consideration.
There was a real wealth of other things I played this year that were very good, like the aforementioned Zelda and Mario games, as well as Mario Kart, Opus Magnum, Destiny 2, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, Dawn of War III, and many others I think I'll love but have yet to get around to, like Prey, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Nier: Automata, Hollow Knight, Battle Brothers, and more.
As for game achievements and backlog progress this year, here's the Pile of Skulls:
Assassin's Creed Unity
Assassin's Creed Unity: Dead Kings
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Crimson Shroud
Democracy 3
Destiny 2
Diablo III Anniversary Event
Diablo III: Necromancer 70
Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (Necromancer)
Dishonored 2 (Emily, Low Chaos)
Dungeon of the Endless
FFXI: Samurai Artifact
Hexcells
Hexcells Infinite
Hexcells Infinite (60 Down)
Hexcells Plus
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Spec Ops: The Line
Super Mario Odyssey
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Apocalypse Campaign (Loyalists)
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Apocalypse Campaign (Traitors)
The Horus Heresy: Battle of Tallarn Resurrection Campaign (Loyalists)
Titanfall 2
I count 23 this year, the same as last year, coincidentally:
2017:23
2017:23
2015:26
2014:32
2013:33
2012:23
2011:21
2010:23
2009:19
2008:26
2007:15
I also tally a total of 21 additions to the backlog this year, though I don't really keep track of how many it was reduced by in the same time. Suffice it to say it doesn't look much smaller, though I know I knocked a few things off. Maybe I'll manage more in 2018.
I don't have much in the way of new year's resolutions other than my usual desire to play more strategy games and RPGs. I'll also add character action games this year--Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, et al. Even if I have to play them on easy. If there's one thing I want done and dusted this year, it's The Witcher 3. I don't know why I deprive myself of it like I do, honestly. It's very good.
2018 releases I'm looking forward to include Bayonetta 3, and maybe more on Cyberpunk 2077. I can't think of anything else at the moment.
Closing Out 2017
I've been off for about 10 days for the holidays, and I've been trying to get in some good game time. In this span I have made some good progress through Opus Magnum, finished the main game content in Super Mario Odyssey, played my fill of Battle of Tallarn, and returned to the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild to do some pretty serious shrine hunting.
I'll just single out Battle of Tallarn here. I think the game is pretty good for a mobile port. It lands squarely in that range where I could just keep playing it until I've exhausted it of content, but will instead forgo spending any more time doing just that and instead look to other games that I suspect will be better. Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, namely, but also others in general.
I'll also just mention that in the last few days since Christmas I have been back into Zelda in a big way. I've spent much more time than anticipated each session hunting for that last shrine or wanting to quickly investigate something off in the distance. I even thought about reordering my game of the year rankings, but in the end I think it'll just miss being named there. That post is to follow.
I'll just single out Battle of Tallarn here. I think the game is pretty good for a mobile port. It lands squarely in that range where I could just keep playing it until I've exhausted it of content, but will instead forgo spending any more time doing just that and instead look to other games that I suspect will be better. Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, namely, but also others in general.
I'll also just mention that in the last few days since Christmas I have been back into Zelda in a big way. I've spent much more time than anticipated each session hunting for that last shrine or wanting to quickly investigate something off in the distance. I even thought about reordering my game of the year rankings, but in the end I think it'll just miss being named there. That post is to follow.
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