terraasymmetry Features, Video Games

BACKLOG 5/2/18: God of War and absolutely nothing else.

BACKLOG is a “whenever the fuck I feel like it” blog feature focusing on how I’m progressing through video games, old and new, that are stuck in my backlog. Here I’ll generally update my progress in any and all games I’ve touched in the past 2-4 weeks. This includes updates on reviews I’m writing, games I’m looking forward to, thoughts I’ve had, and things I’ve purchased. 

Since my last post was two days before God of War came out I really haven’t spent time with much else. Though I powered through some more Far Cry 5 side-questing and finished The Mummy: Demastered once 4/20 hit I haven’t been playing anything but God of War. Because I’m going for the Platinum trophy, as sometimes am prone to do, it’ll probably be another two weeks before I beat it but I’m already planning on what I’ll jump into once I do finish the game. Basically Monster Hunter World isn’t a very fun game. It has unsatisfying combat that dangles a continual carrot of better control and  slight increases to combat damage across a slog of a game and I have very little drive to finish the game right now. After an hour of menu diving, tutorials, and reading a wiki guide I decided I would rather play something fun. It is on indefinite hiatus and earned a spot at the very bottom of my backlog as a result.

So, post God of War will be Dishonored 2 with the possibility of Persona 5 and Dark Souls Remastered interrupting. You’d think I’d be fanatical about playing Dark Souls again but as soon as I realized it doesn’t have omni-directional dodging and other things integral Dark Souls III as an experience, I’m less excited to replay a game I already spent 80+ hours with less than a decade ago.

The Mummy: Demastered

The game did have cool bosses, just not enough of them. This Scarab boss was the most challenging and interesting.

Finally finished this metroidvania-lite game after a quick final push. Waited like a week to review it and then never went back to finish any extras and collectibles. How does it rank in the pantheon of metroidvania 2D action-platformers? Middling. If you’re looking for a metroidvania game on PS4 there are tons of things to choose from with Guacamelee!, Strider, Dust: An Elysian Tale, Salt & Sanctuary, and many more that are going to be more worth their relatively low pricing. But hey if you want something closer to Metroid and like the art style it is a fun enough game that is uncomplicated.

Click HERE to read my full REVIEW.

> The Mummy: Demastered (PS4 Pro) 100%

God of War

Though not the game’s only virtue, God of War is one of the most beautiful video games I’ve seen. At least on par with Horizon: Zero Dawn.

Media, streaming, YouTube gaming, etc. everyone has saturated the market with this game’s high praise and it seems to be one of the bigger hits for the Playstation 4’s exclusive library. I made a point to go full media blackout after the first two trailers were released for the game. The first one with gameplay and combat was promising enough and I have a strong affinity for both Greek and Norse mythos. I’ve played every God of War game up to this point besides God of War: Ascension (anyone remember when it broke Adam Sessler?) and basically hated each game beyond God of War and God of War II.

Just your average Greek god in his leather harness hanging out on a mountain. No biggie.

As you’re probably fully aware this game is far removed from the gameplay and presentation of the original series. The camera is over the shoulder a la Resident Evil 4, there are no loading screens and you never lose control of the camera the whole thing takes place on a single shot. You’re accompanied by your son Atreus, who initially doesn’t know he is part god yet he shows great aptitude in combat and deciphering ancient languages. Combat is somewhere between Lords of the Fallen‘s momentum based melee and the smoother motion of Bloodborne but with limited dodging and turning speed. To delve deeper into the combat would actually spoil some of the plot, but I will say that the frost axe you use in the game doubles as a sort of spectral boomerang and functions excellent in both combat and puzzle solving situations.

Doubt you can make out what is going on, but this is was meant to show off the full Traveler’s armor set as I’ve been largely using it until I can beat some of the harder challenges in the game. The Valkyrie fights and Surtr challenges are tough as nails.

I’m very far in the game and in lieu of getting too many of my thoughts down in writing before I’m ready… I will say that the game plays great, looks great, is exceptionally well acted (“BOY!”), and the Tomb Raider (reboot) style 3D ‘metroidvania’ nature of this game has me liking it more than any other character action game I’ve played in years. I don’t think I’ve been this happy to backtrack through a game’s world since maybe Prince of Persia in 2008. Fairly far into the game something happens that makes it all feel much more like old God of War, but it’d be shitty to spoil that part at least not until the full review! Streams of the game are available on my YouTube page

> God Of War (2018) ~60-70%

That is more or less it. I’ll just be playing God of War for a couple more weeks unless I somehow blaze through it’s tougher challenges. I’m looking forward to switching gears back to Dishonored 2 as well as getting back into a JRPG (Persona 5 or Ni No Kuni II). Oh, I have decided to cut FEZ, Hitman: Absolution, and Pillars of Eternity from my Backlog entirely as I have previewed each game enough through gameplay and watching videos to know that I will never finish them and should just move on.

BACKLOG: Unfinished titles, in order of importance. % progress noted.

  1. God of War (PS4) ~60-70%
  2. Dark Souls Remastered (PS4) [Pre-order]
  3. Dishonored 2 (PS4) 0%
  4. Far Cry 5 (PS4) 25%
  5. Persona 5 (PS4) 10%
  6. Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir (PS4) 0%
  7. Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (PS4) 0%
  8. South Park: Fractured But Whole (PS4) 50% [No progress]
  9. The Surge: A Walk in the Park DLC (PS4) 0%
  10. Risen 3: Titan Lords Enhanced Edition (PS4) [Recent purchase]
  11. Tales of Zestiria (PS4) ~1% (in first town across bridge)
  12. Arcania (PS4) 0%
  13. Thief (PS4) 5%
  14. Battle Chasers: Nightwar (PS4) 0%
  15. The Technomancer (PS4) ~5% finished introduction
  16. Mass Effect: Andromeda (PS4) 0%
  17. Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4) 0%
  18. Batman: Arkham City (PS4) 3%
  19. Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition (PS4) 0% tutorial
  20. Divinity: Original Sin (PC) 0% (restarting)
  21. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4) 60%
  22. Metro 2033 (PS4) 0%
  23. Metro: Last Light (PS4) 0%
  24. Deus Ex: Invisible War (PC) 0% (restarting)
  25. The Witcher: Enhanced Edition (PC) 0% (third restart…)
  26. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC) 0% post-tutorial
  27. Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4) 0% tutorial
  28. Dust: An Elysian Tale (PS4) 0%
  29. Bioshock 2 (PC) 0%
  30. Guacamelee! (PS3/PS4) 0% (restarting on PS4)
  31. Monster Hunter World (PS4) ~10%

 

 

 

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