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.