What the golf (iOS)

Date Purchased: Nov 4, 2019
Date Completed: Dec 1, 2019
Price: Free (Apple Arcade Trial)

I don't review many phone games, I was hoping that Apple Arcade might change that but in all honestly, gaming on a phone is just not something I want to do.  What the golf though, WHAT THE GOLF?!   

This is a fantastic little iOS game, it's barely golf, it's more like a sketch comedy of video games.  It plays great, looks great and is a fun little distraction.  My only gripe with the game is that the overworld can be a little tough to navigate sometimes.   If you try Apple Arcade, make sure you give this one a swing.  It's a hole in one! (ugh)

MLB The Show 19 (PS4)

Date Purchased: October 1, 2019
Date Completed: October 15, 2019
Price: Free (PS+)

I'm no stranger to this series, and while I may have never reviewed one on this blog before, I've played plenty of "The Show" over the years.  It's been a while however, so when this was announced as a free game for PS+ I was pretty excited.  I've fallen in and out and back in love with Super Mega Baseball over the last few years and thought maybe it was time I played a real game of hardball.  Nope.  The same issues I've always had with this series is still prevalent today, the biggest offender is that it just takes too damn long to play.  I play NHL with 5 minute periods, I play Madden with 5 minute quarters and NBA with 4 minutes quarters, but something about playing an MLB game with less than 9 innings just feels wrong.  I've tried, got bored, came back, tried again and again, this game is just boring.  It's a beautiful game, it's amazing to just look at, and while the announcing team is feeling a little tired at this point, the presentation is second to none.  The camera angles, the broadcast presentation, it's all there and it's perfect.  The game is simply no fun to play.  I tried the "arcade" or "retro" mode and it's a joke, so don't even bother.  I wish I could like this game, I want to like it.  I love baseball, I just feel in this case, it's better to be a spectator than holding a controller.  Hard pass.

Links Awakening Remastered (Switch)

Date Purchased: September 20, 2019
Date Completed:  October 6, 2019
Price: $69.99

I should have read my review for this game, the one I wrote just under 4 years ago.  I should have waited for some reviews to come out, but no, this time I was blind.  Blind to Nintendo's charm.  Here's what I had to say in 2015.

"Almost 4 months to complete this game, would have been much, MUCH longer had I not used a guide.  This game would have been amazing back in 1993.  A portable game of this size and scope could have kept you busy for many hours, but after playing “A Link Between Worlds”, another great top down Zelda game, it’s really hard to go back, no fast travel, pausing to change items, I could go on ... Regardless, this is a really fine game, an incredible accomplishment for its time, I can appreciate it for that, but trying to play it in 2015 is just that, trying.  Pass?"

The reviews started coming out advising how this was a faithful remake and I knew.  I was hoping it was going to be a "re-imagining" of sorts.  A modern take on a classic game.  Nope.  I played a game I didn't like in the first place a second time, paid almost full retail for an experience I didn't want.  I feel used, but in the end, it's my fault.  I pre-ordered digitally, paid it all up front.

My feelings on the game haven't changed much.  I enjoyed the dungeons a lot, but exploring the over world has always felt like a chore to me in top down Zelda games.  A link between worlds is the only exception.  I loved THAT game.  Lesson learned.

My kid really enjoyed it, so that takes away some of the sting.  But I watched him play, he mirrored an "Austin John Plays" from start to finish.  Oh well. 

Hard pass.

It's a good thing I could play this at work, or I might have
never finished it.

Wolfenstein 2 (Xbox One)

Date Purchased: n/a
Date Completed: October 4
Price: GamePass

Wolfenstein The New Colossus was my "Game of the Year" a few years back, I was really looking forward to playing this I kept waiting for a sale.  I was excited it was on GamePass so I wouldn't have to "pay" for it.  Let's just say, I'm glad I didn't put any money down for this.  The story is cool, I liked it, that's about all it has going for it.  Now, let me get this out of the way, I played the game on easy as that's how it was recommended to me on the Giant Bombcast.  I'm glad I did.  The shooting feels "poor" normal human enemies are bullet sponges and don't seem to react to getting shot.  They just soak up clips of bullets.  My main beef with the game was the level design. The objectives of the game are unclear and a lot of the time I was just wondering where to go next.  Not the point of an FPS in my opinion.  By the end I was only playing it to finish it.  Glad that's over.  What a disappointment.  Pass.

Gears 5 (Xbox One)

Date Purchased: n/a
Date Completed: September 30, 2019
Price: GamePass

Going straight from Gears 4 into Gears 5, I was concerned I'd feel burnt out, but where Gears 4 felt like a complete rip from the original series, Gears 5 feels fresh.  The new characters have much more "character" for lack of a better term.  The story takes a number of unexpected turns, the game has an open world (although it feels kind of pointless), an upgrade mechanic, many new abilities, and just feels like a new game.  This might be the best gears game yet.  I really really enjoyed it.  The difficulty ramps up quite significantly on the standard difficulty and really makes you think about your upgrades.  The final boss had me pretty angry lol.  High recommendation.

Gears of War 4 (Xbox One)

Date Purchased: n/a
Date Completed: September 20, 2019
Price: GamePass

I signed up with Xbox GamePass, 2 months for $2 and what an incredible value it's been  First game I played was one that's been on my radar for some time.  Gears 4.  The game was fun, relatively short, and definitely a Gears game.  Been here, done this was my thought process at the completion.  The story was good and I was happy to see Marcus come back.  I still like the original cast of characters better than the new crew, but that's just nostalgia.  You know what you're getting here, so if you like Gears gameplay, you'll likely enjoy this one.  Not a "must play" by any means, but I enjoyed it.  Recommend.

Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)

Date Purchased: June 28, 2019
Date Completed: September 12, 2019
Price: $69.99

I was eagerly anticipating Mario Maker 2, I had so much fun with the first one, that I just couldn't wait. I pre-ordered, pre-installed, all that good stuff.  It arrived, I played it, and while I'll fully admit it's a better game than the first one, the "magic" of making Mario just wasn't there.   You'll always remember your first, and man, I wanted to love it, but at it's very core, it's more of the same.  I've played it a lot, and will continue to play it, but it just doesn't have that same feeling.  In the end though, it's still great and I highly recommend.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled (PS4)

Date Purchased:  June 21, 2019
Date Completed: August 1, 2019
Price: $49.99 (PSN)

I was anxiously awaiting this game, buying it on release, and when I dove in after years of not playing the original Crash Team Racing, I was quite impressed with the graphical upgrade.  Playing the game however, it didn't feel right and I'm fully willing to admit I'm more accustomed to Mario Kart controls and physics.  "I'll adjust" I thought, and I had an okay time. I then went online to play and that's where my disappointment hit it's high.  The online is a chaotic mess, there is no ranking system, so you can be put in a lobby of CTR "pro's" but if you don't get out to a good start, you'll spend much of the race getting hit by any variety of projectiles.  I've won a few races, but my win percentage is definitely in the single digits.  It's a great looking game, with pretty generic sounds and game play that Mario Kart (sorry not sorry) leaves in the dust.  Pass.

Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare Jackal Assault (PSVR)

Date Purchased: June 20, 2019
Date Completed: June 21, 2019
Price: Free

Less game, more "experience" sums up this aerial combat "simulation" which has you flying around space shooting down enemy warplanes.  It was a brief experience, clocking in somewhere around 30 enjoyable minutes.  The graphics were fine, but not the most thrilling experience in VR.  I know I'm using the word experience a lot.  It's free, so why not.  Recommend.

Beat Saber (PSVR)

Date Purchased: April 9, 2019
Date Completed: June 15, 2019
Price: $42.79 (PSN)

This is Rock Band for a new generation, is it better?  No.  Is it better in a group setting? Yes.  Does it feel pointless playing alone?  Yes.  I spent countless hours jamming to Rock Band in my basement, mastering my skill, but there's something about Beat Saber that makes playing alone feel pointless.  Perhaps I'm just not into the music, perhaps I'm missing the tactile feedback, perhaps it's just not as good as Rock Band.  It's a neat experience, and fun in a group setting.  It's apparently one of the best VR games, but I feel like it could be played with Wii-Motes on TV and get generally the same experience.  I know it sounds negative, but I don't really get the point.  Pass for solo play, recommend for a party game.

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (PSVR)

Date Purchased: N/A
Date Completed: June 11, 2019
Price: Free (Borrowed)

I usually write these reviews so I can remember my thoughts on a game years from now.  I don't think that's necessary with this game as I'll always remember it with such fondness.  This is an amazing experience from top to bottom.  So fresh, so fun and never frustrating.  It's just a joy exploring these virtual worlds.  If you have a PSVR you need to play this game.  Strong contender for my GOTY.  Highest Recommendation.

Tetris 99 (Switch)

Date Purchased:  February 13, 2019
Date Completed: June 16, 2019
Price: Free (Nintendo Online)

I've resigned to the fact that I'll likely never win a battle in Tetris 99 and that's okay.  I was waiting until I won to give it a final verdict, but I've since moved on.  Tetris 99 is a game of Tetris where you're battling 99 other players.  Only one comes out on top.  This is Tetris Battle Royale.  The game is deeper than just "play Tetris" there are some complex strategies that need to applied to come on top, things I don't pay enough attention to, but perhaps need to in order to finally get that dub.  Regardless, the game is fun and I'd recommend it easily.

Trackmania Turbo VR (PSVR)

Date Purchased:  April 4, 2018
Date Completed:  April 16, 2019
Price: Free (PS+)

I'm really itching for a VR racing game after spending a few hours of this completing the campaign and getting gold on all 40 tracks.  This is the single greatest sense of immersion I've ever experienced in a game.  It's truly amazing.  The only downfall is how short it is, I wish the whole game could be played in VR.  Recommend @ free (duh) but probably not worth buying unless it's less than $5.

Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (PSVR)

Date Purchased:  November 18, 2017
Date Completed: April 16, 2019
Price: Free (PS+)

Wow, 2 years on the old pile and I finally finished it.  I recently picked up a used Playstation VR, and I downloaded this freebie.  I didn't particularly love it, the aesthetic is horrifying and I didn't want my young children to be tempted to play it.  Essentially it's an on rails shooter set in the Until Dawn universe.  The original game is much better but I had a pretty good time with this game.  It's a shooting gallery, has some neat concepts, but the experience ultimately feels pretty flat and repetitive.  It's hard to get into the setting with colorful targets all around you as ride around in a cart.  The final boss was neat but ultimately frustrating.  After the first level the game doesn't throw much "new" at you.  If you happened to get it for free it's worth a shot, but if you need to put money down on it, pass.

Apex Legends (PS4)

Date Purchased:  February 4, 2019
Date Completed: April 17, 2019
Price: Free to Play

I fell in and out of Apex Legends pretty quick.  It seems like the rest of the internet did as well.  No doubt the game is still popular, but the aspirations to overtake Fortnite are over by this point.  This is another "battle royale" where 100 players drop into a map, this time however, you're put into squads of 3.  It's fun with peers, but I never found the game enjoyable solo.  It has a great cast of characters, cool weapons and abilities, but after 100 games or so, I really tired of looting for 10 minutes only to die in 10 seconds.  Maybe I'll come back one day, and at "free" it's definitely worth the price of admission.  I even bought the first battle pass as a "tip" to the developers.  Recommend.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Switch)

Date Purchased: January 11, 2018
Date Completed: February 24, 2019
Price: $79.99

I've reviewed both Super Mario U, and Super Luigi U on their own in the past, and while my thoughts haven't drastically changed on either, this is a good little package with enough minor changes to make the game appealing again, especially with young children.  The addition of playable character Nabbit (who takes no damage but still must platform) to both games is welcome.  The Peachette addition seems insignificant overall, she's basically Mario or Luigi with an acorn powerup.

I have played a significant amount of the game with my twin 5 year olds.  I said to my wife last night that they are going to hold nostalgia for this game like I do for Super Mario 3.  They love it and play it constantly, and for that alone, it was worth the price of admission for me.  Recommend.

Troll level 100. My 5 year old twins are/were Mario and Luigi. #SuperMario #NSMBUD #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/dwOFLtySc9

— Jeff Plays Games (@classicgamedude) February 25, 2019

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

Date Purchased: December 25, 2018
Date Completed: February 12, 2019
Price: $79.99 (eShop)

You never really finish these games, but I've put enough time in to know it's a classic.  It has caused many many wars in our house, lots of tears shed, makes for a great game no?  My oldest boy won't even play with me anymore out of anxiety of losing, the middle child can't do it either, so I play with the 5 year old twins a lot.  They're not very good, but the multiplayer is where it's at and I have to play with someone.  I get wrecked online, so I don't really go there, but it's great couch chaos.  A huge roster, incredible charm, just a celebration of gaming really.  Recommend obvi.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon (Xbox One)

Date Purchased: February 7, 2019
Date Completed: February 11, 2019
Price: Free (Games with Gold)

Full disclosure, I played this on "casual" difficulty.  I am not a fan of "Metroidvania's" so when I heard this was a Castlevania clone I was apprehensive to even try it, but the difference is, this one was "free".  I gave the game a try and was pretty much hooked knocking it out over 3 sittings.  I didn't find it difficult in the least until the last stage which had me fairly frustrated.

#BloodstainedCurseoftheMoon #XboxShare pic.twitter.com/o43fpQp7t5

— Jeff Plays Games (@classicgamedude) February 5, 2019

I eventually prevailed.  This game is cool, the different abilities keep the game fresh, the graphics are a good mix between 8 and 16 bit with a cool soundtrack.  I liked it, just the right length at a little over 2 hours.  The controls were a little clunky in spots but didn't cause too much aggravation. Recommend.

Spider-Man (PS4)

Date Purchased: December 25, 2018
Date Completed: February 11, 2019
Price: (Free, Pack in)

My son Cole received this game free with his Christmas present, his own PS4, it’s been on my radar for some time so I was happy to finally get to play it.  I took some time to start it, but once I did, I was hooked.  This game has the best mobility of any open world game I’ve ever played.  It’s better than Just Cause, better than the Arkham series, better than Breath of the Wild.  While the environments all appear very similar, just zipping through the city is fun, and it holds up for a long time.  The game looks great, the voice acting is amazing, and the story holds up too.  My only gripe would be the “stealth” sections where you don’t play as Spider-Man.  I understand pace changing, but I think it can be done better, in fact it is done better, AS SPIDER-MAN.  Playing stealthily as Spider-Man?  Fun!  Playing stealthily as Mary Jane?  Web me now.  I enjoyed the puzzle solving mini games and many of the side missions, but when I was approaching the end, I was ready to be done, I felt like the game could have been about 20 percent shorter.  Minor gripes aside it’s a great game, I’m curious to what they’ll do in a sequel to prevent players from feeling like they’ve done all this before.   Highly recommend. 

And a couple screens I took:

#PS4share pic.twitter.com/Ff11IjQrOQ

— Jeff Plays Games (@classicgamedude) January 10, 2019

#PS4share pic.twitter.com/Q0oEqmZLMA

— Jeff Plays Games (@classicgamedude) January 30, 2019

Steep (PS4)

Date Purchased: 01/01/2019
Date Completed: N/A (did not finish)
Price: Free (PS+)

I'm no stranger to snowboarding games.  If you're looking for a fun snowboarding game akin to Cool Boarders on PS1, SSX on PS2 (or one of it's sequels), 1080 snowboarding on N64, or heck, even Snowboard Kids, keep looking.  This is not that.  If you prefer Skate to Tony Hawk, this might be the snowboarding game of your dreams.  I admire what it's trying to achieve, and I was genuinely excited to try it, but for me personally, it fails on the most important level.  It's not fun.  Pass.

Overcooked (PS4)

Date Purchased:  December 19, 2017
Date Completed: January 7, 2018
Price: $9.17

My wife and I have been plugging away at this game for over a year and defeating the final boss was one of the most satisfying things I've ever done in gaming.  The organization, teamwork and communication required to finish the game is unlike any other.  The game has a happy go lucky look and art style, but it's chaotic fun!  Recommend.

Top 10 of 2018

Here are my top 10 games on 2018.