See my Banjo-Kazooie review here

DISCLAIMER: I'll start this review with the same disclaimer I gave last time. I enjoy retro games, but this is not a review from the reference of the release date. Meaning that I will mostly be looking at this game as it stands today since I don't have the context from release (I never owned an N64). That said, I'm not going to bash it for being old constantly or make points about graphics and such.

Intro

I'll start by saying that this is obviously another legendary game that is a followup to the original which I enjoyed a lot. It says a lot that these titles are still pretty enjoyable after turning 23 years old. However, I want to use this review not to be harsh to this game but to highlight the obvious and hidden progress games have had since its release.

What is this?

This is a puzzle platformer collect-a-thon game with pretty good characters, expansive level design, graphics that still hold up, and some of the best music you'll ever hear. Tooie is mostly an expansion and extension of the ideas found in Banjo-Kazooie. The same characters appear and what exists in the first game is mostly left untouched here. Instead, new mechanics and moves are added to keep the game feeling fresh and I really enjoyed some and hated others (we'll get there).

What's there to love?

The most standout thing about the game is the music. The music here rivals Mario64 for how iconic and instantly recognizable most of the tracks are. They do a lot of the heavy work with theming without being too intricate or overbearing. The characters also do a good job of fleshing this game out into believable spaces.

In the first game, I felt like the entire game took place in a box. A small box. Here I don't have that problem and a few of the levels feel like the characters really belong there. Platforming is also pretty good which can't be said for a lot of stuff around this era. Every jump or move that I missed felt like my own fault for the most part. The variety of moves also adds a bit of much needed depth to the game which I really enjoyed. This game is easy to love but I don't think that it would convert anyone who didn't enjoy the first game since it is mostly a copy of that. Which leads me right into...

Lets get to the bad

How do I do this without making it sound like a rant? I can't. If you have nostalgia for this game, be patient with me here. Lets talk controls. In no uncertain terms, the controls are awful and unlike the first game, I don't think that playing on an original controller would fix much here.

To give an overview, basic platforming is normal controls and the trigger is a crouch button. The trigger is also how you activate your moves here. This is a limitation of the N64 controller and I respect the use made of it. But the amount of moves mapped to the C-stick is confusing. Normally it acts as camera control but once the crouch button is pressed, the one stick gets assigned to 4 separate moves for each character. And since the trigger is crouch, you must crouch each time to do each move. Thats a lot of trigger pressing and stick moving.

As a subset of controls, the people at Rare decided that Banjo-Kazooie was good but needed first person shooting to be great. Hopping on the trend at the time with this game hurts my brain because it controls horribly. And since the mapping is the same as shooters like GoldenEye, the controls are unusable for modern audiences. Is this fixed in the Xbox Live version? I don't know, but I hope so. It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't get used on every single level, but it does.

Entire first person shooter sections in a collect-a-thon were not enjoyable to me, its not what I expect from a sequel here. Worse yet, its used heavily in the bossfight at the end which is just salt in the wound.

What about the genre?

The first game really established an entire genre and I was curious to see how it would get moved forward here. I want to be clear, I find these next few items negatives but I appreciated them because they're the first missteps in this space. So what went wrong with the game style itself?

The largest sin for me is the sin of having a game about collection without self-contained levels. What I mean by that is that game objectives spill beyond the borders of each level and bleed either into the hub world or bleed into each other. A more minor sin of this kind is the kind of sin where you need to unlock something later in the game and come back to complete a level.

Modern games still have these features but they mitigate the problems by telling you that you need to wait or they give giant hints at other levels. In this game however, you might struggle at a puzzle for an hour only to find out that theres a move later that you unlock that makes this part possible.

For a good example: There is a level with a hot and cold side of a mountain. A move is given to the player to walk into hot water on the hot side of the mountain. You can press a switch in that pool to drain it, but it suggests to you that the water is just too hot. You can also turn into a snowball on the other side of the level.

So based on that info, you might search for awhile just to see if you can connect the cold side and hot side together. Or maybe you can throw your snowball self into the water. Or maybe a character can do it for you. None of those things solve your problem. What does solve your problem is pushing an ice cube off of the next level in the sky that then falls into the pool and cools it.

And this is the last thing I'll really mention bad about this game: It makes poor use of its new moves and features and is inconsistent and that's a shame. An example from the same level: there are two characters on the cold side of the mountain that need to be warmed up. One requires you to shoot fire eggs at them. The other requires you use the bird to sit on them like an egg. No indication of that move use is given. Its only ever used for eggs elsewhere. Frustrating.

So thats the gripe here. The feature creep is very real and you have too many moves doing too little in the game and it complicates the controls. They tried to do too much with this game and it hurt what was a very solid and tight experience from the first one.

Summarize Tooie To Me

Don't let the criticisms color the game too much for you if you enjoy this kind of thing or just want to revisit it. For those who have nostalgia for it, you'll overlook the annoyances pretty easily but I'd highly recommend playing on an original controller. I'd consider it almost necessary for this experience, especially for the first person sections. If you don't have nostalgia for this, I'd tell you not to take the game too seriously. Don't 100% it like I did and just sit back and enjoy the good music and fun characters and the puzzles or collectables. If you're never going to play the game though, the soundtrack is also right there for you.

If you made it this far let me know what you think of my review, I'm always eager to hear what other people did or did not enjoy about the game and I'll be active in the comments!

It's kind of sad that one of the greatest video game series is on hold for now.
Conspiracy theories, multiple ways of solving a mission, game lore hidden in computer inboxes...
Are there any (pre-2010) games that gave you the same feeling or do a similar thing?

Ico is lesser known/underrated because it's the spitirual "prequel" to shadow of the colossus. The game first released on PS2, but you can play it on PS3 from The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection which is a HD version of both games on a single disc.

I played the PS3 version on RPSC3 and it worked flawlessly except for a few crashes.

The game is an experience unlike any other. Sometimes we say about some games "they don't hold your hand", like the Souls game. Well, this game will never give you a single hint, it's that mantra pushed to the extreme. It's best described as Portal without the portals. It makes the experience very immersive since there are no HUD elements, no voice telling you to do anything. It's essentially a puzzle game, but it won't feel like a puzzle game, it will feel like an adventure you are solely responsible for and for which the end result will be 100% your achievement; It's not a multiple endings game, but it's such a well designed game that the player will feel proud of the journey.

I can't say much more without spoiling, all I can say is please give this game a shot, it will change your perspective on games as a whole.

My rating, 10/10. There are 0 flaws with this game, not a single con I can nitpick about. There's barely any dialogue but it can easily make you quite emotional.

I decided to try this game, almost 4 years after the PC release and 5 years after the PS release. To me it felt like this game got released a year ago, truly a patient gamer.

This game is all about the story so I'll avoid mentioning too many details about it in case one of you sees this and actually wants to try it.

The first mission is amazingly crafted and captivates your attention, it serves as a great and concise tutorial that you may not even notice that it's a bit of a tutorial. Did a tutorial ever make you feel like a total badass? This one will. After that mission, you get into the real story's intro.

The game's intro is a classic playstation exclusive intro, in the sense that it's a bit of a slug. At least, I can say it really introduces well the player to the world of Detroit. It presents many of the themes and philosophical dilemmas that you will have to deal with in the game without shoving them too much down your throat. So if you start to feel bored during the intro, stick around cause it does get way better.

A bit on the story without spoiling anything; you basically get to play 3 different android characters with unique stories and background. Not only your decisions, but also the way you choose to interact with other characters have quite a dramatic impact on the story. There's not 1000 endings, don't get me wrong, but your playthrough will actually feel like YOUR playthrough. It's truly surprising how much I got attached to the characters and the story I crafted through my choices. The game's writing may feel a bit cheesy at times, but it's the good kind.

I don't usually play these kind of game-movies and I have no idea if they typically are that good, but I can tell you this one's a gem. I completed this 8-12h game (approx) in a single day, non-stop cause I got so hooked and then proceeded to complete the game a second time 3 days later. And as I'm writing this, it tempts me into a 3rd playthrough.

I played on PC, the port's alright. To have more than 60 fps you have to edit the config which is a bit unfortunate, but expected from a sony exclusive. It performs well and I think it only crashed twice. Since this game saves every 5 seconds, it's not too bad. The graphics look a bit dated since it was made for PS4.

Rating? 9/10. Since I praised this game most of the reviews, I'll give a concise list of the cons:

• Very sluggish (intentionally slow story pacing) in two parts of the game. It reduces replayability because you'll think "oh fuck I'll have to do this shit again"
• Have to edit config files on PC
• QTEs can be quite annoying at times, and failing some QTEs will have dramatic consequences.

If you like a good story, GO PLAY THIS NOW. You won't regret it.

Top 10-25 games articles are all the same and obvious. Are there some less known or even obscure games, including bad-that-it's-good ones, we can have fun with? What's your experience with them? Bonus points if you played via an emulator.

I want to make a case for Saints Row IV: it is my go-to relaxing game. I have it installed on my PS4. The game has a GTA-esque setting and gameplay style, but where GTA is a clever satire of the real world, SR IV doesn't concern itself with the limits of reality: in fact, You play as the President of the US (with super-powers) and your main opponent is an alien overlord - with a pretty good voice actor. Now a lot of people tell me that SR III is the far better title and I bet it is, but if you haven't played the 4th installment I suggest you give it a try. It has a special feel to it that keeps me coming back. Not for the story, but for the happy accident that produced an almost meditative game. I love running through the city, killing aliens and causing all kinds of mayhem. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this title.

I was writing this out on my local [email protected] and realised I was basically making a patient gamers post, so here's a copy and paste:

Despite everything you might read from gaming journos about corporate greed destroying the gaming industry I still think it's an amazing time to be into video games. I'm absolutely spoiled for choice with games to play and I think it's just down to not caring about online multiplayer or getting caught up in marketing hype.

You don't have to pay through the nose to buy a fancy machine to play half-finished blockbusters, there are decades of classics that you can still play. Borrow a friend's old console and play some old games-of-the-year, find some random classics on Humble Bundle or GOG, see what random freebies I've posted in [email protected], stick an emulator on your phone or find one that runs in a web browser.

Example: I played Metroid Prime after seeing a Lemmy post talking about. I could either:

• Dig out a GameCube or buy a Wii on eBay for £5 and find a copy of the game at CEX if I fancy the retro experience
• Buy the remastered Switch version if I fancied splashing out
• Just pirate a ROM if I feel rebellious
• Dump my own ROM and play it on PrimeHack if I feel like tinkering

This is just one example of a great game that passed me by, there are thousands of others out there. We have a crazy amount of choice not only of what to play but how we choose to play it. The bittersweet part is that this could all change so enjoy it while you can!

I know we're already in February, but what are you looking forward to playing this year?

I am currently limited to my PS4 and an older laptop as far as big-screen gaming is concerned, and I am going to be playing some sequels:

• The Witcher II - The 3rd part is more famous but I hear 2 has the better story. I am also one of those who really enjoyed part 1!
• Pillars of Eternity 2 - the first one was so good I can't wait
• Red Dead Redemption II - which I got for my birthday. It is absolutely HUGE. RDR1 is in my all-time favorite games list.

As for handheld gaming, I have recently gotten a Nintendo DS Lite and a PSP so I will be playing some:

• Deadeus - a 2D horror game that someone recommended on this thread

• Final Fantasy Tactics funnily enough, I never played this! I did enjoy the GBA version a lot though.

• Jeanne D'Arc apparently it is one of the PSP's best titles.

As someone with a lot of IRL obligations, I will be very happy if I make it through this list.

What is on your list?

Lost Odyssey is a JRPG that started as a collaboration between Final Fantasy grandfather Hironobu Sakaguchi's independent studio Mistwalker and Microsoft for the Xbox 360. With a script written by Sakaguchi himself, it's a by-the-numbers entry in the genre but with an inspired idea to insert a collection of short stories penned by best-selling author Kiyoshi Shigematsu. It makes for a brilliant, compelling synthesis early on that sadly can't keep the magic flowing.

Lost Odyssey has been called an "unofficial Final Fantasy" by series fans, and indeed, those who have played Final Fantasy X will feel comfortable right away. There are many visual and gameplay similarities, and Nobuo Uematsu is here again to compose the soundtrack. Tara Strong, the voice actor for Rikku, is also here in a similar role as legendary pirate Seth. Combat is fully turn-based, and it has a great visual presentation, even today.

Where the game diverges from the long-running series (and the genre at large) is its mature story. Death is a constant companion for Kaim, our main character, and through him, Shigematsu's A Thousand Years of Dreams delve into politics, war, sociology, unbridled greed and selfless acts of service, among other topics. It's an excellent way to take a cliché--the amnesiac protagonist--and bend it into compelling, emotional interludes. As expected, however, that part of the story resolves, and the player is faced with the fact that there has to be a game here, too.

I would have come away with a better impression of the game if there was an exceptional JRPG at this game's core--a reasonable expectation given the game's pedigree--but Lost Odyssey didn't get that. Aside from a couple of boss encounters with questionable difficulty tuning, it's never outright bad, but it does lean on a lot of old ideas. Sakaguchi's game scenario manages to connect well with Shigematsu's themes for the game's first third or so. Inevitably, it descends into the usual contrived JRPG scenarios, including a villain that did so much mustache twirling, he could power a small wind farm with his nefarious plotting. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the genre and I'm always down for some warmed-over cliché soup. But the contrast in writing quality here between author and game scenarist (both as accomplished in their fields as they are) becomes all too apparent.

Lost Odyssey came out at a time when JRPGs were on the decline, and to this day it's still exiled on the Xbox 360, not a prime destination for the genre. There wasn't enough here to change any minds on that front either, so I'm not surprised nothing further came of the property. Being an emotional experience with some really touching moments, I'm glad I finally picked this up, even if I'll never go back to it.

Any thoughts on Lost Odyssey? Or other games that ran out of gas for you?

I know this isn't strictly related to patient gaming, but I think it fits the ethos of this community and I can't think of a better choir to preach to.

The director of Dragon's Dogma II made the following statement regarding limiting or removing fast travel

Just give it a try. Travel is boring? That's not true. It's only an issue because your game is boring. All you have to do is make travel fun

I think this is fairly compelling. Though I will say, I don't think the answer is to limit fast travel. The real limitations developers should be placing should be on filler quests that have you traveling from point a to point b and then back with some slight pretext as to why you're doing so. It's not fast travel that's the issue so much as mission design and the manners in which the player is compelled to cross the game world.

Metroidvanias are a great example of how to allow for fast travel while still making traveling around the game world compelling. The latest Metroid, Metroid Dread, was really fantastic in this aspect. You have this sense of progression and exploration even as you're backtracking.

Would removing fast travel from Metroid Dread have made it any better? I don't think so. The inclusion of fast travel feels thematic. You have to work for it so it feels like an achievement to unlock. It augments the game.

So in short, I agree with some of the sentiment expressed, with regards to lazy gameplay design being boring. I disagree with the opinion that fast travel necessarily is boring, or causes lazy desing.

I want to tell you about an often overlooked game that I really enjoyed my time with.

The setting is AMAZING, you are in 1960s America trying to contain an alien invasion with your team.

It got a lot of flak because it used the XCOM name while being a completely different type of game and it definitely had some flaws (the gameplay reminds one most of Mass Effect 1) - but if you see it on sale somewhere give it a chance, I think you won’t regret it. If anyone else has played it, do share your thoughts :)

I finished Control last week, likely the best game to marry a creepy funhouse with a sprawling government office that you'll ever play. I was up and down on this one for a few months. There's a fun narrative and plenty of atmosphere, but I wasn't always enjoying the gameplay.

I hadn't played a Remedy game since Max Payne 2. The shift from comic book-style storytelling to something literally cinematic was a change for me, but I was still able to comfortably slip into the narrative right away. I particularly enjoyed what was going on with the meta-narrative. For example, I'd get so damn lost running around even with signs everywhere. Normally, the existence of the signs would feel like a change implemented after tester feedback, but then I would see stuff like "Janitor's Office" and think there's intentional thematic design at play. Constantly questioning that in various elements of the game was part of the fun.

Unfortunately, my tendency to get lost wore my patience thin eventually, and the new gameplay unlocks bored me. It was a blast at first--I haven't had this much fun with telekinesis since Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy forever ago--and the gunplay felt solid. But then, as more of the weapon options showed up, I didn't click with any of them and preferred chucking rocks. It's also a great looking game at times. This is the first game where my system has been able to handle more than basic ray tracing, but I'd get a lot of blurry textures. I even had to rollback my video driver to resolve a problem with the cinematics. It's weird to call a game where I'd get a solid 60 FPS a rough port, but I think this qualifies.

I picked up the game again last month and made some more progress until a certain late-game section completely stonewalled me. I simply didn't have enough health (or damage output, or both) for the encounter, and the choice was to either grind for skill points/mods or start looking at difficulty options. I quickly found a switch to an "Easy" difficulty wasn't possible but there was an Assist Mode. I started with reducing incoming damage, but after a couple more five-minute attempts I was frustrated enough to turn one-hit kills on. I couldn't tell you the last time I did something like that to get through a game. It was either that or likely drop the game permanently (a shame being that close to the ending). Still, I'm glad I kept playing, even if I'm not entirely sure in the end Control kept its end of the bargain. I don't think the story quite stuck the landing.

Any thoughts on Control? I seem to be down on it more than most. I imagine Remedy fans in particular got a kick out of it. Or on a game that pushed you into cheats or breaking another gameplay tradition you have?

I played Resident Evil when I was a child on the starting on the PS1 with Resident Evil 3. I fell in love with this series and played all the games.

I remember playing this game back on GameCube and not liking it so much. I mean, it wasn't a bad game. But it did not feel like Resident Evil to me.

Recently, I played 7 and 8 which where really good. They feel different than Resident Evil, but they were scary and I enjoyed these games a lot. Still not as good as the classics or the RE2 and RE3 remake.

So what is it about Resident Evil 4? Well, it feels like an action game and less a survivor horror game. It was a linear experience of just moving forward. It lost the metroidvania part of RE for the most part.

I know this game is loved by many and I can understand why it is loved. It is a genuinely good game. It just should not be a Resident Evil game.

Tell us what game you are currently, or recently played, greater than 6+ months old.

If the game happens to be on sale, a link would be a plus.

I have a lot of respect for developers who bring new ideas and game modes and are thus keeping such a great game alive

Are there games that you tried but just couldn't get into because they feel outdated? Games that, in theory, you would enjoy, but don't because the controls, graphics, writing, or mechanics just don't feel good anymore. Games that, compared to today, just don't hold up to your standards.

I recently tried playing Heroes of Might and Magic III, and I realized that a lot of the invisible language used through game design from that era, I do not understand. There are many things that the game didn't explain, and I assume they were just understood by players. Not only that, but I imagine there was a lot of crossover between video games and board games back then, so maybe that language was used as well. I ended up downloading a manual and putting it on my second screen and I get it and played it, but it just wasn't for me.

I also dropped Mirror's Edge, but this time it was because of the graphics. It looks and feels great, but the graphics give me a headache. There is way too much bloom, and for some reason, there are some parts that look like the imaginary lens has been covered in Vaseline. This didn't bother me before, but my eyes are not used to it anymore.

There are also games like the first two Tony Hawk Pro Skater games that I can't fully get into because they're missing mechanics from the later games. The levels and controls feel great, but they don't feel complete without those mechanics. It keeps me from enjoying the games as much as the others.

Please share yours!

TL;DR This game is awesome and you should consider playing it if you haven't and you like retro games from this era or if you like similar collectathon games.

To preface before my opinion: Yes I did emulate this game on PC, Yes I used a modern Xbox controller for most of my playthrough, and No I do not have many references for games from this time but I will be attempting to be balanced on parts I felt did not age well.

I'll start with the good parts. If you've played Mario 64, this game is right up your alley and so is its sequel. This is one of the best 3D platformers from the era and its one that is challenging and has more personality than M64 did for me. Mostly due to the stellar characters and personalities. So much love went into crafting each characters outfit, voice, and animation even though they're so simple.

Next up, the levels. Not every level here is amazing but the same can be said of M64 (which I'll continue to reference as my main comparison game since I'm familiar with it). Each level has 10 jigsaw pieces to collect and some of them are extremely creative uses of the environment. Some are just annoying to get though and will have you overlooking them. Overall the levels are solid if not as memorable as many M64 levels are to me.

The music. Wow the music! Its very good for the era and fits right in with the classics. Even the rest of the sound design is incredible but seriously, go listen to some of the level tracks if you haven't played the game. The theming done in the music alone is very good. The rest of the sounds do a very good job of fitting right in with the art and they characterize a lot of the game. Audio-wise this is amazing for the N64.

Here's where I digress though. My overall view of the game is VERY positive so take these criticisms light. A lot of these things are parts that just didn't age so well. First off, the movement system isn't as good as other 3D platformers. Its passable. But a lot of the platforming requires button presses repeatedly. You can't walk crouched. So a series of leaves that need high jumps to go up them look like this: Stop your character in just the right spot and crouch, hit the jump button, direct the jumps movement, move a tiny bit forward on the next leaf to position, crouch, jump. Wouldn't be so bad if I could trigger it all quickly but its very hard to do that. Not to mention the swimming is really not great and wrestles with the camera constantly. And the air attack is nearly impossible to aim if you aren't flying straight or are too high or low to attack properly.

The rest of the moves are all based on the C stick. Which also controls camera. Its a nightmare with a modern controller. But again, each move takes seconds to activate and need prep time. You have an invincibility move which would be great for avoiding incoming damage. Except it takes too long to trigger so is only used for obstacles. Weird right?

And that's my final gripe that I feel is really valid. Mario 64 has a move set that gets activated mostly organically. Wall jumps and rolls and ledge grabs all work with minimal or no buttons. Meanwhile the run move here requires you stop to crouch and press the stick a specific way. And most other moves have buttons on the floor or pickups. Its confusing why they did it that way and it takes me out a bit fiddling with my controller. It doesn't feel natural and I never got to the point of pressing all of the moves without thinking.

Overall final opinion is that this game is an amazing classic that I feel most people should play if they like 3D platformers. Just be aware that its best played on older controllers and also has a few features that you may miss from modern games. But it'd be hard not to recommend this. This game is great, onto the sequel!

Hi guys, A very happy new year!!

After celebrating New year's Eve, I just logged in on PS5 to play Detroit become human.

The robot on the home screen wished me and my family a very happy new year!

This was so sweet. I feel so warm and love the game even more now!

I have a huge backlog of free giveaway games, because I have less time for playing than I think I do and because I never know if I'll be able to play a game or if it'll be too visually challenging - my username is both literal and relevant.

I finally got around to trying Prey (2017) and, so far, I'm really enjoying it. The visual style is manageable, text is usually large and clear enough, and the "Story" difficulty setting means I can enjoy the game in a way that's balanced between relaxed and challenging. I'm still always on edge, but I'm not as pushed for my poor aim and lack of situational awareness.

Accessibility aside, I love the BioShock (I'd say System Shock, but I wasn't playing video games then) vibes. The gameplay, the concept and setting, the aesthetics... it's all there and I'm here for it. I for one am excited to poke myself with dystopian technology McMuffins in a city consumed by its own hubris.

How are folks here liking the game? Am I late to this particular party? Do any Something Shock players have an opinion to share?

I've played the game around seven years ago for the first time on my laptop and enjoyed my time a lot. Back when I got my first PS4 around a year later (2017ish), I got the game on there too but ended up not playing the game at all because I couldn't get used to the controller gameplay.

A couple of days ago, I started the game up again for lack of other games to play right now and have, as many probably, started a low-chaos ghost run. For the uninitiated, "ghost" means that you go through the entire game without being detected once. To achieve this, you're either cracked at the game and know what you're doing, or you resort to save scumming, which I also did.

However, I seem to have fucked up in the last mission (saving Emily, getting rid of the two Pendleton twins) and have been detected somewhere without noticing it and loading a previous save. When I ended the mission and was shown the statistics, I contemplated starting the mission over because I didn't ghost through to mission but opted not to.

While I do feel kinda bummed about "messing up" the achievement, I feel like this'll prove to be beneficial for my overall experience with the game since I won't have to keep reloading the same passages for 15 times just to get some arbitrary achievement that doesn't even bear any meaning.

I'll still go for a low-chaos run (not killing anyone), but I won't be bothered to keep reloading saves now: If I'm detected, I run away and hide and take the game on naturally.

How have your experiences with the game been? Which playstyle do you prefer? What games did you ruin for yourself in hindsight because of save scumming?

I really enjoy time loop games where the player can explore and there's a story, and isn't just a puzzle game. I played Outer Wilds a few years ago and I loved everything about it, it's my favorite in the genre.

Ones I've played and liked / have on my list to play that look good:

• Outer Wilds - (I still need to play the DLC)
• Deathloop
• Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
• Undertale?
• The Sexy Brutale
• Zero Escape series (on my list to play)

Ones I don't like as much:

• The Forgotten City - I liked the story (for the most part) but I felt it was spoiled far too early. I think by being a shorter non-linear game that was likely to happen. I got 3/4 endings in 6 hours. It was very hand-holdy which I didn't like. It had quests and quest markers which I felt didn't help the game at all. I wish it went the Outer Wilds approach and instead listed everything you learned, so the player would have to piece together what they needed to do next.
• Twelve Minutes - I watched a playthrough of this game. The story was very interesting, but I don't think I would have the patience for the puzzles, it's a puzzle heavy game. I would like a game with more exploration.
• Minit - Played it for ~3 hours, it was interesting but I would like a longer time loop.

These games have a time travel mechanic which I still enjoy but aren't really what I'm looking for:

• Braid - The story is very interesting but it's a puzzle platformer with levels.
• Life is Strange - I love this game but it's a time travel game rather than a time loop.
• Chrono Trigger - I think this game has time travel instead of a time loop, it's still on my list to play.
• Steins;gate (now on my list to rewatch rather than play, and it's more time travel rather than groundhog day time loop).

Are there any hidden gems I'm missing? Preferably looking for games I can play on PC but I also have a Switch, Wii U, and 3DS.

I googled it, and the top result wanted to download/install a PuP.

8AM PT, 11AM ET.

Can't beat the price of free. No parts of the game are missing, just for all of you patient folks.

Quick note: It is a remaster of the original game with the base game and the DLC expansions that were released for it, visual updates and a higher level cap and possible other tweaks. Some reports of stuttering and poor performance.

So this isn't directly related to patientgaming but my hardware and personal tastes kind of filter me to playing games no newer than five years old.

I'm looking for some recommendations for games that can be completed within ten hours. I've realized recently that this is the sweet spot how much I enjoy playing a game before I get bored of it. I'm open to all types of games. Thanks in advance!

This game has a pretty interesting premise with a story centered around cults and the Cthulhu legend. I don’t know much about either so I was intrigued and since I received this game in a bundle some time ago, I wanted to give it a shot. The game is narratively focused so I’ll talk mostly about theme, art, and story as I go.

I’ll start with the look and feel of the game by saying that I have middling opinions on how this game looks. The textures are good for the most part and convey the atmosphere pretty well. The game falls apart though when it comes to animations. Everybody moves and expresses themselves worse than cardboard. Remember the canned talking animations of Skyrim? It’s that but in a narrative focused game and worse. The characters need to be believable but when someone is talking in a relaxed way while their hands do frantic motions or are frozen in front of them, it breaks a lot of the illusion. However, the rest of the art, atmosphere, and lighting looks pretty good.

When it comes to story, I won’t claim to be a narrative expert. In my playtime, I didn’t get hooked by the story at any point. The characters are trying to do that thing where they provide little detail and are therefore mysterious. That didn’t track well with me and instead they felt dull and shallow. It sucks because some of the dialog is really good but there isn’t enough of it to carry a narrative game. The best bits of story are told to you in cutscene form and this game almost seems like it’s better suited as an FMV game or similar. The biggest benefit to the story though is the multiple choices. I felt my choices were impactful and they don’t let you exhaust dialog for other options. You have one conversation and there is at least an illusion that you could’ve had many more discrete conversations.

The RPG skills are another middling feature as they help a lot of the exploration and conversational aspects of the game out and yet they’re paper thin at the same time. The game has you assigning points and yet I don’t feel that it would’ve played any differently than if I’d just picked skills at the start and nothing afterwards.

Lastly the sound is another 5/10. Sometimes it really sells the horror of a scene. But a lot of the time the same repeated music tracks take me out. And the compression used on the voices is embarrassingly bad. It harms the performances so much that I began tweaking my setup because I thought I had audio issues.

To wrap it up, I wanted to like this game and I still like aspects of it. It’s maybe worth playing if you catch it on sale or get it in a bundle. And since it’s a short experience, some of these gripes aren’t dealbreakers. I just found it to be a disappointing use of the setting and theme and I wish more could’ve been done to immerse me in the game.

If you’ve played it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!