cavernelf

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Dishonored

time played: 16.5 hours rating: 8/10 achievements: 19/80 quick review: damn that's crazy finished: 10/2/2024

in retrospect I really enjoyed this game but often found myself in the middle of a mission thinking, man I sure hope this is over soon. the very last 2-3 missions of the game (the flooded district especially) seemed to compound some issues regarding the movement mechanics that for some reason I had trouble with. 2nd to last mission I found myself going in and adjusting sensitivity and fov 10x as much as in the first half of the game.

regardless this game was really good and a fun introduction to stealth rpgs that aren't, yknow, mgs. IDK if I'd play through the 2nd game but I can see myself replaying this one to get more achievements or items I missed. I think everyone should try this one out once and see it through to the end.

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Monster Hunter World + Iceborne

time played: 60.8 hours rating: 10/10 achievements: 44/100 quick review: a must play finished: 6/16/24 / 7/17/24

truly do not have enough words of praise for world. I can't believe it took me this long to get into MH though I did play one of the games on the vita a long time ago. Eagerly awaiting Wilds.

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Cattails

time played: 9.2 hours rating: 6/10 achievements: none bc steam broken >:( quick review: it's like animal crossing but with less to do finished: 5/19/24

I'll be quick with this one. this is a good game if you don't want to think at all. If animal crossing is too much commitment play this instead. there isn't enough to do in this game for me personally and I only played until I finished the main quest and didn't bother with 'postgame' stuff. I think there's a sequel but I probably won't check it out

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Crow Country

time played: 5.9 hours rating: 10/10 achievements: 11/15 quick review: play this if you're scared of survival horror finished: 5/13/24

crow country has a neat feature- play with or without enemies. it's a short survival horror game that mimics ps1 style models and textures and it was such a blast to play, I was able to finish it in one sitting because I was just so drawn in! 100% recommend this and it was especially fun to play on the steam deck.

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Chroma Squad

time played: 11.7 hours rating: 10/10 achievements: 30/43 quick review: this is a must play!! finished: 5/12/24

bf got me this because we've been marathoning power rangers nonstop and I LOVED it! it's such a good and digestible tactical rpg. would definitely replay this to see the other two endings through.

[cavernelf]

game backlog challenge: Pokemon Sword

took a break from the steam library earlier to play through a sword nuzlocke- lots of pokemon were lost. i learned how good of a pokemon lanturn is and had a sizzlipede with nearly perfect IVs. 10/10 would nuzlocke again, but a different game next time

currently working through: chroma squad and maybe sword dlc nuzlock!

[cavernelf]

👇👇💅🧸🤠🏇🏇‼️

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: Final Fantasy Tactics tWotL

time played: 32 hours rating: 9/10 quick review: a REALLY good introduction to strategy rpgs! finished 12/29/23

I started playing FFT in about September and finished the game almost at the very end of December.

I've played Fire Emblem before so I have some idea of strategy rpgs, but this was the first time playing one that I actively had trouble in battles and would have to rearrange units, try different characters, and different strategies. Really loved this game! Ramza is a wonderful protagonist.

I do have a few gripes about the game that would come up from time to time:

The scope of the game is big, and there are a lot of characters. A lot are not remarkable, but were important to the story, and often you would be introduced to someone and then not see them again for 3 chapters, and were expected to remember their role and name

In that vein, [and this is less FFT and more the medieval wartime genre of storytelling], the story was difficult to follow pre-auricite introduction. You'd meet a character like Lord Vrinkle Duke of House Galbronza, and Ramza would give a bit of exposition on how this guy helped his father back in the day in the days of the War of Yonderling Plains, and then Lord Vrinkle betrays you a chapter later because he's actually been working for His Excellency Duke Lorelei who is your enemy, but you don't remember who that is because he was only mentioned once last chapter. Things were a bit easier to understand chapters 3 and onward.

My #1 criticism with the game itself is that the limited camera movement during a battle sometimes made it actually impossible to see where units were. The terrain often covered up possible spots and some maps, no matter which way you rotate the camera, make it impossible to see all squares on the map.

My #2 criticism is similar, sometimes I would move a unit thinking I could reach an enemy but would be just a square or two off. Being able to take back movement would have been a lifesaver.

Anyway, despite my points of contention, I highly enjoyed the game and would consider it a title I would replay. I also am very interested in checking out other Tactics games, and trying out the other FFT games in the series.

[cavernelf]

FF Tactics wotl……FINISHED TONIGHT!!!!!

I did it before the year was up!!!

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: banished

time played: 51.8 hours achievements: 3/36 rating: 9/10 quick review: I come back to this year after year 'finished' 12/16/23

banished is a title I've had since about 2014 and a game I find myself reinstalling and playing for hours every year. the fact that I've barely unlocked any achievements in the game but played for 50+ hours is, for me, a testament to how much fun I have with the simple game loop.

and that's it, really- the game is simple, few goals in this ye olde city sim besides maybe playing for achievements. I just love to start a new settlement of banished folk and re-play the same way: create tiny neighborhoods that eventually produce so much food they stop being able to harvest it, and eventually all die when a tornado happens to touch down and destroy everything I've worked for. no real way to finish the game either, so I just mindlessly enjoy it

love this game and will keep playing it for a long time to come!!

[cavernelf]

one chapter away from finishing ff tactics: wotl let's GO!!

[cavernelf]

[cavernelf]

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: defender's quest: valley of the forgotten

time played: 5 hours achievements: 6/30 rating: 3/10 quick review: would rather replay alan wake finished 9/30/23

I'm sorry. I do like tower defense. I did not like this game.

The art above is what's on steam, and does not reflect the art in the game. I found myself skipping most of the cutscenes, and the music was boring and repetitive. the humor was not my thing. The gameplay itself was fun, for a while, but I wanted to finish the game so I played through most of the last 1/3 of the levels via casual. Would not replay this.

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: going under

time played: 16.7 hours achievements: 16/23 rating: 10/10 quick review: you certainly do go under finished 8/10/23

don't have enough good things to say about this game. I think it's best experience on a handheld console. it's unbelievably fun. I would replay this often and would go as far as to try to get all the achievements, which I am trying to do.

one more dungeon would have been great, and maybe the 2nd half of the game's difficulty spike is a bit extreme. some of the humor doesn't land.

all small grievances compared to how much I enjoyed this game. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: donut county

time played: 2 hours achievements: 8/20 rating: 6/10 quick review: needs more puzzles finished 6/10/23

had this one started and finally finished it in june. I wish it was longer and that the narrative didn't interrupt gameplay so much. the puzzles were fun and I wish there were more! final battle was anticlimactic and not as challenging as I'd hoped. fun nonetheless!

[cavernelf]

steam library challenge: danganronpa v3

time played: 37.1 hours achievements: 18/41 rating: 10/10 quick review: wow! didn't see that coming finished 4/22/23

okay okay so. I had already started v3 when it first came out- I have a long history with the dr games; I remember reading the unofficial translations of them on the something awful forums whenever the paywall would go down. I even got a ps vita to play the first game when it first got localized, because for some reason it only came to the ps vita at first. well basically I got to chapter 5, then dropped my playthrough of it and finished it by watching a friend’s stream. so I never actually finished the game until today.

I mean, 10 outta freaking 10. The UI, the overall visuals, the characters, voice acting, the heart wrenching trials, the animations, the executions, the story- I cannot give this game enough praise. It’s fantastic.

really not much else to say. It’s great. I’ll play it again and the whole series. the only game I haven’t played is ultra despair girls, so I might get to that someday. for now though, as much as I’d love to have another dr game, I think v3 wrapped up the series perfectly.