Spooky_Jim
Not the biggest fan of the art style or enemy design, but flipping and flying around the maps is very fun. Story is base level with some predictable twists. Kinda hard to follow. Average game with a fun gimmick.
100% Completion Notes: Collecting money(gems) and completing a handful of repetitive challenges in each area. Kinda boring.
100% Completion Notes: Collecting money(gems) and completing a handful of repetitive challenges in each area. Kinda boring.
2020
3+ years later, this is still the best implementation of the DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Since this tech demo is designed from the ground up for that reason, I'm not surprised. Cute, short, and fun.
100% Completion Notes: My first platinum trophy. Quick and fairly easy, with a bit more depth in the trophy list than I initially expected.
100% Completion Notes: My first platinum trophy. Quick and fairly easy, with a bit more depth in the trophy list than I initially expected.
The best mystery/detective game you can play. Please, try your best to get past the 1-bit monochrome graphics and dig into one of the best gaming experiences in modern memory. This game does the opposite of hold your hand, it throws you to the figurative wolves and expects you to rely on your own wits and intuition. The game is HARD, and many will likely get frustrated (I sure did). But the pure satisfaction when you finally get something right is a high I'm still chasing.
100% Completion Notes: Solve every mystery. Leave the ship instantly, without investigating a thing. Frame an innocent person. Excellent list.
100% Completion Notes: Solve every mystery. Leave the ship instantly, without investigating a thing. Frame an innocent person. Excellent list.
2018
Gorgeous music, gorgeous visuals, tight platforming gameplay, and a touching story about self-discovery. The intertwining of story and gameplay is very well done, and seeing the environment progress as you climb higher and higher up the mountain. Recommended for fans of Super Meat Boy or platformers of a similar ilk.
100% Completion Notes: The bonus levels are insanely hard, and I'm not too big to admit I had to use the assist feature on a couple levels. But still a fun, challenging experience.
100% Completion Notes: The bonus levels are insanely hard, and I'm not too big to admit I had to use the assist feature on a couple levels. But still a fun, challenging experience.
An emotional and varied walking simulator that surrounds a tragic family curse. Each level of the game focuses on a different member of the Finch family, and the gameplay/atmosphere changes accordingly. The story remained engaging till the end, even if the ending is telegraphed pretty early into the game. The game remains fresh and doesn't overstay its welcome.
100% Completion Notes: Very straightforward with a few easy missables in each of the levels. Not too much of note.
100% Completion Notes: Very straightforward with a few easy missables in each of the levels. Not too much of note.
2015
My first foray into the Yakuza series and...wow. I can safely say there is absolutely nothing like this game and (I imagine) series. The gameplay is straightforward beat-em-up action, with different fighting styles and plenty of environmental engagement. The story is where this game shines. A thrilling, twisting narrative that focuses on a young man's involvement with a Yakuza clan's plot. The dark narrative is counterbalanced by absolutely ABSURD side missions and minigames. A true delight that I highly recommend.
100% Completion Notes: If anybody's looked at the in-game Completion List in Yakuza 0, you'll know why this is one of my proudest 100%'s to date. Aside from a couple very frustrating requirements, the 100+ hours this game took me were fun throughout.
100% Completion Notes: If anybody's looked at the in-game Completion List in Yakuza 0, you'll know why this is one of my proudest 100%'s to date. Aside from a couple very frustrating requirements, the 100+ hours this game took me were fun throughout.
Cute, casual, and hilarious. A wonderful rendition of Hogwarts that was the definitive version until the release of Hogwarts Legacy. You know what you're getting with the LEGO games, and this is the formula executed to great success.
100% Completion Notes: Always fun to run through LEGO levels blowing everything up and rotating through a huge cast of characters. Good co-op fun as always.
100% Completion Notes: Always fun to run through LEGO levels blowing everything up and rotating through a huge cast of characters. Good co-op fun as always.
2010
An abstract horror game that feels like you're playing through a literary fiction novel at times (in the best way). Touting a similar atmosphere as Twin Peaks, Alan Wake is a fun, linear journey through a small Pacific Northwest town. The scares could be scary, but the game in general is certainly showing its age. That being said, being out in the pitch black woods with nothing but the beam of your flashlight to stop enemies charging at you from the darkness is exhilarating. My only wish was that there was more to the game than that. It does get repetitive, but the ridiculous story is enough to carry it through to the end.
100% Completion Notes: One of the few instances I was happy to do the DLC for the completion. Both The Writer and The Signal were fun experiences that felt like they fleshed out and improved the ending of the base game.
100% Completion Notes: One of the few instances I was happy to do the DLC for the completion. Both The Writer and The Signal were fun experiences that felt like they fleshed out and improved the ending of the base game.
2019
A charming and often humorous adventure game that did not resonate with me nearly as much as Night School's prior game, Oxenfree. The same dialogue and relationship focused gameplay is found in Afterparty, but with a focus on humor rather than horror. You'll really want to be into the drinking and party/bar scene to get full enjoyment out of this game. Bang average adventure romp through Hell.
100% Completion Notes: Second playthrough to mop up achievements was an absolute slog. The jokes that did hit the first time didn't the second, and Afterparty lacks a lot of the cool little moments and easter eggs that Oxenfree delivers on additional playthroughs.
TL,DR: Play Oxenfree instead
100% Completion Notes: Second playthrough to mop up achievements was an absolute slog. The jokes that did hit the first time didn't the second, and Afterparty lacks a lot of the cool little moments and easter eggs that Oxenfree delivers on additional playthroughs.
TL,DR: Play Oxenfree instead
2016
If you haven't played Bioshock 1 yet, you've at least heard of the underwater metropolis of Rapture, or the famous "would you kindly?" line. There's a reason you have. This is one of the greats, and while the gameplay is a little simplistic compared to later entries, the atmosphere and setting are unparalleled to this day.
100% Completion Notes: You really have to stay on top of the many playthrough-long achievements in this list. Maxing out research tracks, upgrading weapons, and of course, the incredible audiologs that tell the true story of Rapture. I would highly recommend using a guide for this one!
100% Completion Notes: You really have to stay on top of the many playthrough-long achievements in this list. Maxing out research tracks, upgrading weapons, and of course, the incredible audiologs that tell the true story of Rapture. I would highly recommend using a guide for this one!
2018
This review contains spoilers
Ugh, I am so conflicted on this game. It's janky, the actual gameplay sucks, and I experienced many graphical glitches that were downright hilarious. BUT. This game nails the Lovecraftian atmosphere many others try to emulate. The sense of dread and mystery that hangs over you while you investigate Darkwater Island is palpable and engrossing. Even when it puts the horror directly in front of you, which in my opinion is not the best way to do Lovecraftian, it manages to be terrifying and unsettling. And of course, the "bad" ending where Cthulu is summoned is one of the coolest ending cutscenes I've ever seen in a horror game.
100% Completion Notes: I don't remember too much about this completion, which usually means it wasn't very notable. I remember having to replay the ending for all of the different choices, and enjoyed most of the endings delivered.
100% Completion Notes: I don't remember too much about this completion, which usually means it wasn't very notable. I remember having to replay the ending for all of the different choices, and enjoyed most of the endings delivered.
2019
A top five game of all time for me, and a first experience you can never get back once its over. This game is NOT for everybody, there is a lot of exploring, reading, and quiet contemplation. If you're someone who needs action and fast-paced plots to hold your attention, I wouldn't recommend this. But if you're interesting in solving a fascinating cosmic mystery piece by piece, eventually reaching one of the coolest final sequences in video games, PLEASE give this game a try.
100% Completion Notes: An excellent list filled with actual challenges outside of the story that push you to the farthest reaches of the universe. It encourages you to deeply explore the game's systems and lore, absolutely enhancing the already stellar experience. And you'll also be crashing into the sun. A lot.
100% Completion Notes: An excellent list filled with actual challenges outside of the story that push you to the farthest reaches of the universe. It encourages you to deeply explore the game's systems and lore, absolutely enhancing the already stellar experience. And you'll also be crashing into the sun. A lot.
A very welcome shake-up of the Assassin's Creed Formula. I personally think the shift to a more "Witcher-like" combat and RPG system breathed fresh life into a series that was seriously stagnating. Still couldn't give a damn about the modern day storylines, but as an Ancient Egyptian RPG, it works very well.
100% Completion Notes: Yeesh, this one sucks to do. So many little locations and objectives across a massive map. If I hadn't had an achievement race going with a friend at the time, I'm not sure if I would've powered through to get this one done. I hear Odyssey is even worse in this regard. Yippee!
100% Completion Notes: Yeesh, this one sucks to do. So many little locations and objectives across a massive map. If I hadn't had an achievement race going with a friend at the time, I'm not sure if I would've powered through to get this one done. I hear Odyssey is even worse in this regard. Yippee!
I'm not sure why everybody calls this game a souls-like. In some loose ways (respawning enemies and dodge/parry third person combat), it is, but in many other ways it is more akin to an Uncharted-like 3rd person action. Either way, it's a very fun package that undoubtedly gets a boost from the Star Wars brand. The story was engaging and I loved almost all of the characters, excited for the second game to expand on this base!
100% Completion Notes: Having to run through entire levels again just to find a couple obscure collectibles or enemy types was brutal. This game would've seriously benefited from a more robust fast travel and map system (which I hear the second game thankfully has).
100% Completion Notes: Having to run through entire levels again just to find a couple obscure collectibles or enemy types was brutal. This game would've seriously benefited from a more robust fast travel and map system (which I hear the second game thankfully has).
2014
Ahh, the beginnings of my favorite horror franchise. The first hours spent inside the puzzling Spencer Mansion are some of the best survival horror content in existence. Even though I have plenty of this franchise left to experience, it's reputation precedes it, and every entry I have played has completely hooked me. Even in this remaster, the graphics and gameplay show their age, but not so much to affect the overall experience. The cheesy dialogue and campy plot are counterbalanced by intriguing puzzles and genuinely tense moments to make an incredibly charming package.
100% Completion Notes: I've quickly realized that the Resident Evil achievement lists are some of my absolute favorites. Yes, it requires many, many playthroughs. But the challenge runs are so fun and varied, and the game itself so short, that this was a blast to complete.
100% Completion Notes: I've quickly realized that the Resident Evil achievement lists are some of my absolute favorites. Yes, it requires many, many playthroughs. But the challenge runs are so fun and varied, and the game itself so short, that this was a blast to complete.