Phantasy Star 4 (Genesis; Completed 1-6-18) [First Time]
Notes: I tried playing this game a long time ago, but lost my save about halfway through during a hard drive crash. This time, I finished it. And it's pretty good, really; I'd say it ranks up there with the better RPGs of the 16-bit era.
Marvelous: Another Treasure Island (SNES; Completed 1-13-18) [First Time]
Notes: A charming little Japan-only adventure game that... probably no one here has heard of. There's a fan translation, but it's a rather mediocre one. Still, lets you get through the game... and it's a fun game, at that. I rather liked this one.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA; Completed 1-15-18) [First Time]
Notes: This took a *long* time, but... I loved it. Fantastic game. The law system was a bit irritating, but nowhere near as horrible as people tend to make it out to be. I *almost* 100%'d it, but a bug I didn't catch until it was too late prevented me from getting one of the hidden characters. Nonetheless, I finished all 300 missions, as well as the 10 post-game missions. I'm done!
Wario Land 2 (GBC; Completed 1-18-18) [First Time]
Notes: An unusual platformer, but a fun game nonetheless. I liked the branching paths, and the way they naturally lead into one another. The game had some issues, though. Locking the map and forcing you on a linear path until you beat the game once was an odd decision, and the final bonus level was pure ROM hack BS. Overall, though, I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the later entries in the series!
Super Cat Planet (PC; Completed 1-19-18; 100%'d 2-15-18) [First Time]
Notes: A fun, charming game that captures the feel of the original perfectly. :3 I got all 170 cats, all 17 strange cats, and finished the postgame. cat planet cat planet cat planet cat planet cat planet :3
Ultima: Runes of Virtue 2 (SNES; Completed 1-25-18) [Replay]
Notes: Weird old game from my childhood. Just felt like replaying it.
Arcana (SNES; Completed 2-6-18) [First Time]
Notes: ...wow. There are a laundry list of things I felt were wrong with this game. It's super old school, and it does not go easy on you. But... it's not *terrible*, either. Good music, at least. I don't expect to play this one again.
Wario Land 3 (GBC; Completed 2-7-18) [First Time]
Notes: All 100 treasures, and all "music coins" found, naturally. It gets off to a slow start, but is quite fun once you gain some abilities and have some freedom in exploration. Definitely one of the better GBC games.
Shadow Complex (PC; Completed 2-12-18) [First Time]
Notes: I do so love Metroidvanias. 100%, natch. Its 2.5D gameplay takes some getting used to, and the bosses are really easy to the point of being anti-climactic, but the game, as a whole, is pretty darn good. Very Metroid-like. Also, special thanks to pholtos for finding me a way to disable controller rumble for the game.
An Untitled Story (PC; Completed 2-24-18) [First Time]
Notes: You know, it's funny. I tried this game many years ago, and did not enjoy it. The heart doors (need full health to open them, set at the end of tricky obstacle courses) and the bosses annoyed me a lot. But I'm *far* better than I was back then, so those same things I hated... were some of what I enjoyed the most. It's a pretty good game, all in all. 97%; I got everything but three hearts from three minigames I just couldn't be bothered to practice, especially since +30 max HP would not have translated to even one extra hit in the final dungeon or battles.
Mother 3 (GBA; Completed 2-27-18) [First Time]
Notes: I enjoyed this one a lot more than I expected to. A fun, solid game that captures the feel of the previous two games well, though it sacrifices the exploration aspect for a deeper story and more engaging characterization. That said... best RPG ever? Not by a long shot, my friend. Still. I dig it. I'll definitely replay this one down the road sometime, and actually *complete* the bestiary.
Ittle Dew (PC; Completed 3-7-18) [First Time]
Notes: A short, but fun little Zelda parody, with some rather clever puzzles and a sense of humor I appreciated. I 100%'d it, yo.
Ittle Dew 2 (PC; Completed 3-16-18) [First Time]
Notes: Significantly larger than the first game, same clever brand of puzzles, same silly humor. Definitely a step up from the first. I *think* I 100%'d it (found all items, got all hearts, and beat the bonus dungeon), but as the game has no way of letting you know if you've completely cleared an area, I'm not completely certain. Regardless, a very fun game.
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (PS2; Completed 3-21-18) [Replay]
Notes: Challenge Mode, which due to having the best armor and Ultra weapons, was... easier than the normal game. Now I can officially start the third game with all the old save bonuses. Hooray!
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (DS; Completed 3-25-18) [First Time]
Notes: Not something I'd have normally played on my own, but after months of pholtos begging me, I finally gave it a shot... and I'm glad I did. This was a very fun, unique game. I definitely want to see more... but maybe later.
Kirby's Adventure (NES; Completed 4-1-18) [First Time]
Notes: As NES platformers go, it was fairly good, though it never felt super exciting, either. Nice to play a piece of history, at the least.
Phoenix Wright: Justice For All (DS; Completed 4-3-18) [First Time]
Notes: Well... it definitely wasn't as good as the first game, but it wasn't *bad*, either, and that last case made up for it. Shame it only has four cases, as opposed to the five in all the others, but eh.
Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations (DS; Completed 4-11-18) [First Time]
Notes: Significantly better than the second game, and an amazing fitting conclusion to the original trilogy. What a great series of games.
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (DS; Completed 5-12-18) [First Time]
Notes: This one plays out a bit differently than the Phoenix Wright trilogy, but I actually like the way the game alternates between "bite-size" versions of the investigation and cross-examination sequences, keeping either from feeling like it goes on too long. That final case, man. Wow.
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth: Prosecutor's Path (DS; Completed 5-22-18) [First Time]
Notes: I didn't quite like this one as much as the first, but it was still a very enjoyable game. The plot felt more interesting, though... and the fan translation was so good, I often found myself forgetting it even *was* fan translated.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (DS; Completed 5-28-18) [First Time]
Notes: While not without its bright spots... this game was probably the weakest in the series since the second game. Only four cases, only one of which was particularly *great*... Kind of a shame. But still, it was far from *bad*, either.
Hyper Light Drifter (PC; Completed 6-10-18) [First Time]
Notes: This game was very weird, but... a lot of fun. I loved exploring the strange, surrealistic world, and while the game was quite challenging, only once did I ever find myself frustrated (grumble grumble samurai boss). Given how incredibly well-hidden stuff tended to be, I'm certain there are things I missed. But that's what replays are for, right?
Arc the Lad 2 (PSX; Completed 6-11-18) [Replay/First Time]
Notes: Third time's the charm. I played through most of this game twice before, but never finished it. This time, I did. The ending was lousy. On the whole, it's a *good* game, but it has so many flaws that I can't consider it a *great* game. Kind of a shame, really.
Make a Good Megaman Level Contest 2 (PC; Completed 6-23-18; Green Stars Collected 6-26-18) [First Time]
Notes: For a "contest", this was better presented than most actual Megaman fangames. There were a few terrible stages, but for the most part, this was a very enjoyable experience. 100%, of course. Because. I even collected all 314 green stars. I have out-stupided you, Pyro.
Cave Story (PC; Completed 7-4-18) [Replay/First Time]
Notes: I tried playing this a few years ago, and got all the way to the end, but the final battles and the Sacred Grounds intimidated me so much that I ... didn't even *try* them. This time? I am successful! It's honestly a pretty good game, overall, albeit on the short side. I'm not quite sure I'd say it's one of my favorite Metroidvanias, but it's good for what it is.
Megaman Unlimited (PC; Completed 7-10-18) [Replay/First Time]
Notes: Another one I played almost to the end a while back, but couldn't actually beat. This time, I did. I actually like this game a lot; I find it one of the better Megaman fan games out there, and don't really think it's *that* much harder than the official games. But that final level is still very much a thing.
Megaman 9 (PC; Completed 7-12-18) [First Time]
Notes: Finally! It was a pretty good game, on the whole, though I did miss having the charge shot and, especially, the slide! Also, there were bits that felt like cheap ROM hack "gotcha!" moments. Still, a solid *official* return to form for the Blue Bomber after so many years out of action. The weapon selection, I should add, was great; some of the best weapons in the series here.
Megaman 10 (PC; Completed 7-15-18) [First Time]
Notes: And this one, too. Gonna have to go along with the general consensus and say that this wasn't as good as 9. It did lack the "gotcha" traps, and the level design was fine, but the weapons were significantly less useful, and I'd daresay I haven't seen such an unwieldy set since MM3. The game was nonetheless pretty good, overall. Glad to have finally played it.
Megaman: Super Fighting Robot (PC; Completed 7-16-18) [First Time]
Notes: A good fangame, if a bit on the easy side due to how... unbalancing some of the permanent powerup items can be. That said, the level design is solid, the boss fights are fun, and the weapon selection is great. There's some bonus post-game content; I may go for some of it, but certain things will require me to replay on hard mode, with no upgrades, etc. Not right now.
Nezumiman (PC; Completed 7-18-18) [First Time]
Notes: What a... weird game. It's so very, very Japanese. Like if someone fused Vip with Megaman. That said, it was quite easy, but nevertheless, pretty fun anyhow.
Ys I+II Chronicles+ - Ancient Ys Vanished: Omen (PC; Completed 7-20-18) [Replay/First Time]
Notes: My, that's a mouthful of a title. I've made attempts at this game many times in various different formats over the years, but never could quite get all the way through it. This time... I did. As very old games remade a hundred times go, the first entry in the Ys series holds up better than most, but it's still a fairly generic game in the end. The bosses are just odd, in that you either kill them in seconds, or they kill you in seconds.
Ys I+II Chronicles+ - Ancient Ys Vanished: The Final Chapter (PC; Completed 7-24-18) [First Time]
Notes: Or, um, Ys 2, if that name is too long and unwieldy for you.
As expected, this game was a heck of a lot better than the first one. Not only was it about twice as long, but it had a lot more variety as a whole, and was a fitting end to the story as Ys 1 left off. Interestingly, this is the first time I'd ever played Ys 2, despite having made an attempt at the first game many times on different platforms. With this, I can now say I've played Ys 1-6. In some form, at least.
Suikoden (PSX; Completed 8-8-18) [Replay]
Notes: Nostalgia can lie to you. This game, while still *good*, is a lot rougher around the edges than I remembered it being. That you're constantly forced to bring characters with you, or arbitrarily not allowed to use them, just so they can deliver a few lines of dialogue, is really annoying and limits your flexibility a good bit. Needing a certain rune just to dash is silly, too. Still, it's a foundation of better things to come, so I can forgive it for that.
Suikoden 2 (PSX; Completed 8-25-18) [Replay]
Notes: This one held up *much* better than the first game. Using the same basic formula, but improving absolutely *every* aspect, this has always been my favorite game of all time, and this recent playthrough did not shake that. I even got all the rare dropped items this time!
Hollow Knight (PC; Completed 9-7-18) [First Time]
Notes: Easily one of the best Metroidvanias I've ever played, and without a doubt, the *longest*. 40+ hours! Yikes! I got 107% completion; found all the items and upgrades, beat the true final boss... I didn't bother with the Godmaster Boss Rush stuffs, or most of the "Dream Rematch" boss fights, because they were simply too much for me. It had some questionable design decisions, such as the map being more of a pain than I'm used to, and being only able to equip charms at save points... but overall, it was a fantastic game that was challenging, while barring some late game optional content, never really feeling unfair.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror (GBA; Completed 9-25-18) [First Time]
Notes: A Kirby Metroidvania? It works better than you might expect! It's sort of like they fleshed out Great Cave Offensive from Kirby Super Star into a full game. Even if they weren't always *important*, it was still fun to go for all the hidden chests and collectables. The game has some of the same flaws that bugged me about Kirby's Adventure earlier in the year, but nothing too bad. Fun game, glad I played it.
Donut County (PC; Completed 10-2-18) [First Time]
Notes: A simple casual game that isn't very long, and doesn't present a whole lot of challenge, but was a fun, relaxing time, with some amusing dialogue and a charming art style. Have a garbage day!
Resident Evil: Revelations (360; Completed 10-11-18) [First Time]
Notes: This was an experience, to be sure. It took me a bit to get used to it, which resulted in my being effectively forced to start over mid-way through due to incredibly poor supply management leaving me woefully under-equipped at a crucial moment. Even then, it's a bit finicky in terms of some of the controls, and the camera feels like it's *way* too zoomed in, but despite all that, I had a good time with it. It has an interesting plot, typical cheesy-but-fun Resident Evil dialogue, and some satisfyingly intense boss fights.
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link (NES; Completed 10-17-18) [Replay/First Time]
Notes: Oh yes. I actually never beat this game. I got *close*, but I never saw the ending stuffs. Now I have. Hooray! Not a *bad* game, just a *hard* one.
Silva Saga 2 (SNES; Completed 10-22-18) [First Time]
Notes: I... wanted a generic SNES JRPG experience, and looking at this game's world map, it gave me a Lufia-esque vibe. Hoo boy did it disappoint. Generic gameplay and boring combat, combined with a gimmick that actually *hinders* you if you make use of it (three teams that level independently of each other... hooray for three times the grinding), and an extremely boring "slay the evil demon king that sits on his EVIL throne for the entire game" plot full of fetch quests... And tedious, damage sponge enemies and bosses, who are also often immune to magic, rendering most fights into a boring slug-fest... Gah. I'm not playing this one again. Ever. This game sucks.
Guacamelee 2 (PC; Completed 11-2-18) [First Time]
Notes: Mechanically, this was largely the same as the first. It was a fun romp with some clever and challenging platforming puzzles, great usage of the many abilities you're given, and I also liked how the game as a whole didn't take itself seriously at all. Overall, I think I liked the first game better, but this was still a nice follow up.
Secret of Mana (PC; Completed 11-20-18) [First Time/Replay]
Notes: I've beaten the game on SNES many times, of course, but this was my first time through the remake. And... honestly? It was... pretty unambitious, as remakes go. The script was expanded and fleshed out, the graphics were nice, the music was *usually* good, but had a few really weird arrangements, and there were a few quality of life improvements here and there... but by and large, it's exactly the same as the SNES original. If you liked that version, well, here it is with a fresh translation and new coat of paint. If you didn't, then this remake won't change your mind.
Final Fantasy 6 Advance (GBA; Completed 11-21-18) [Replay]
Notes: Finishing up playthrough #926748364 of this game, which I started sometime last year, and stopped just before the bonus dungeon. Which I proceeded to finish up. I did everything the game has to offer. Even a full Rage list. I truly have no shame.
Final Fantasy 8 (PSX; Completed 12-23-18) [Replay]
Notes: pholtos' playthrough of this game earlier in the year made me want to revisit it. It's one of the series' "black sheep", but I like it. Especially Triple Triad. Yessir.
Blossom Tales (PC; Completed 12-29-18) [First Time]
Notes: A so-so Zelda clone. Doesn't do much to play with the whole formula, and it's also fairly short (despite taking me a month to play it due to how sporadically I did so), but it's cute, fun enough, and there's a fair bit to explore. I did like the "grandfather telling his grandchildren a story" framing device charming, and it was neat that you could choose a few different events based on the kids' whims, but not enough was really done with it. I'd give it a C+.