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DrBloodmoney's Super Scientific Ranking of Games!


DrBloodmoney

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On 8/26/2021 at 10:04 AM, DrBloodmoney said:

 

I have not... though...

 

...I believe I may own it...

 

...yes, apparently I do - not sure if it was a PSPlus game, or just a purchasing cheque my wallet wrote that my game playing schedule couldn't cash - but apparently I do own it ?

 

u should DEFINITELY play deadly tower of monsters

 

u can thank me later

 

and yes it was a ps+ freebie

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2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

Awesome stuff as ever mate - even if this comment is a little bit overdue.

 

I'm going to have to prioritise Knee Deep a little sooner than I thought now. I picked it up sometime last year, because I thought even if it didn't turn out to exactly be stellar, that I'd at least probably enjoy what they were trying. After reading that. I still definitely think that'll be the case. This bit might seem tacked on - but it's an Artifex Mundi related bit, so there's not a whole lot to say is there, Grim Legends seems like a series that might be worth delving into at some point. I'm glad there isn't any tacked on boss fights, because those are a pain in the arse.

 

I never would have guessed when posting this batch that Knee Deep would be the one that caught peoples attention! Certainly, if it's in your backlog, it's a cool one to see, if only for that 'peculiar' factor - tbh, even playing blind, as I did, it will be a couple of nights max to knock out the platinum, so not too much of an investment needed to sample the game in full!

 

 

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

You have at least one Doctor Who fan as a reader by the way - although strictly speaking, I'm way more of a fan of the show pre 2005 revival. Give me silly long scarfs, curly hair and teeth over gurning ninnies any day.

I hope they bring Persona 4 out again in some form, because outside of getting a Vita I don't really have a way to play it, it sounds really interesting. My only experience with Persona was with Persona 3, so it'd be nice to play another at some point.

 

Haha - we are the exact Persona inverse - 3 is the only one I have no knowledge of (aside from my abject confusion at the minor story parts of Persona 3: Dancing!)

 

Yeah, the fact that Golden is Vita only to this day seems like madness - the game would sell like hot cakes in PS4 form (even to folks like me who have already played it!) so it really feels like Atlus are just leaving money on the table - maybe for the anniversary we will get a P$ PS4/PS5 announcement?

Seems like a fairly reasonable expectation... though from a purely selfish point of view, a Persona 3 port would also tickle me just right!

 

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

I'll have to get The Bunker - I've been on the fence about that for a while, I like FMV games enough from what little I've played of them to want to play some more. The Bunker from what you said seems to do a lot the things right, that games of that genre need to do it. So that's at least encouraging.

 

"Good for FMV" is a bit of a side-swipe these days of course, but The Bunker is certainly what I would call "Good for FMV".

I wouldn't say I've played anywhere near enough to be an authority on them - I've still not tried Erica, or The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, or any of the more recent ones - but  The Bunker definitely cleared my low expectations with a bit of room to spare! 

 

 

2 hours ago, rjkclarke said:

Your trepidation with Returnal before it came out, kind of reminded me of my own about NieR: Automata - one of those times  where it just feels good to be wrong, right? It'd be a nice bonus to hear Miss Burnwood (I don't know about you, but I can't help but say that in 47's voice), looking forward to picking that up whenever I manage to get a PS5. Not that I've particularly made a big effort, as tempting as it is, I have things I need to save my pennies for haha ?

 

Absolutely - if I could get in my Delorian and head back to encounter my miserly-self, whinging about how I hoped Housemarque shat the bed on their big game and went back to the "good stuff", I'd deliver a flying headbutt to that fool right quick ?

 

Hey - then you do get a PS5, Returnal is a great one for showing off the new features - they make great use of that haptic feedback and the controller generally, so after Astro's Playroom (which needs to be everyone's first - it's the law!) Returnal is a great second step!

 

 

2 hours ago, HondaHoe said:

 

u should DEFINITELY play deadly tower of monsters

 

u can thank me later

 

and yes it was a ps+ freebie

 

Lot of love for the game-  I'll certainly be checking it out soon!

 

TBH, after Curse of the Dead Gods, Returnal and Hades, I think I'm due for some less frantic, less-arcade-y style games fora a while, so I'm planning on jumping into The Suicide of Rachel Foster soon, and then maybe something big and splashy (I'm thinking finally breaking the seal on Jedi: Fallen Order... plus, my puzzle game senses have been tingling a little, so I need to find one of them soon... (someone - I forget who, sorry! - recommended Degrees of Separation, which seems neat...

 

...but I'm never more than one errant notion away from an arcade style quick-fire game, so Deadly Tower of Monsters shall be waiting in the wings then!

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59 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

"Good for FMV" is a bit of a side-swipe these days of course, but The Bunker is certainly what I would call "Good for FMV".

I wouldn't say I've played anywhere near enough to be an authority on them - I've still not tried Erica, or The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker, or any of the more recent ones - but  The Bunker definitely cleared my low expectations with a bit of room to spare! 

 

If I may be so bold, allow me to suggest that you don't bother with Erica at all!

 

That was my intro to FMV, and had @rjkclarke not written his review on Doctor Dekker I'd probably have abandoned the genre altogether! Erica's story seems decent enough for the first playthrough, but the following five necessary playthroughs expose it to be a bit of a mess and playing becomes a real chore. It doesn't take long to finish mind you, but then again neither does an appointment at the dentist's office!

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1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I never would have guessed when posting this batch that Knee Deep would be the one that caught peoples attention! Certainly, if it's in your backlog, it's a cool one to see, if only for that 'peculiar' factor - tbh, even playing blind, as I did, it will be a couple of nights max to knock out the platinum, so not too much of an investment needed to sample the game in full!

 

I sure didn't expect Baker to detest it so vehemently - but then Baker has played it and I haven't so there might good reason. Who knows. I'm definitely up for giving it a go though. I find the peculiar factor one of the things about it that's appealing, so we'll see how I get on. I guess not for a while though, just in case my write up ends up sounding just like yours by accident ?

 

Persona 4 would sell like hot cakes - I'd take a P3 port or remaster too, but then really I should favour one for P4 as I've not actually played that one. So I'd probably rather experience that one. P3 is really good from what I remember, so you'd no doubt enjoy that one a lot yourself I'd hope.

 

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Absolutely - if I could get in my Delorian and head back to encounter my miserly-self, whinging about how I hoped Housemarque shat the bed on their big game and went back to the "good stuff", I'd deliver a flying headbutt to that fool right quick 

 

Well if that option ever becomes available - and you fancy a little detour, you can take the Delorean to the south east of England for a bit of a spin and give me a drive by happy slap if you like. I was quite fat and depressed feeling in 2016/2017 around the time I was whinging about NieR Automata, so just look for the tubby hippie looking guy and give him a nice big slap, with your foot, or forehead or brick, whichever feels appropriate ?...

 

25 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Erica's story seems decent enough for the first playthrough, but the following five necessary playthroughs expose it to be a bit of a mess and playing becomes a real chore. It doesn't take long to finish mind you, but then again neither does an appointment at the dentist's office!

 

Go with Smevz on this one Doc - because that is such an accurate description. It's not truly horrible or anything like that. I would definitely recommend Dr Dekker though, that's very interesting, and manages to stay that way the whole way through. Erica though,  once you do start multiple playthroughs - it will start to become more and more apparent that it was written by someone that was in the gradual process of a lobotomy as the writing process proceeded - I can almost imagine some of the drool hitting the keyboard as some of the plot was written.

 

You're probably sick of hearing this one - but you've got another vote in the "you should totally play Deadly Tower of Monsters thing," that's quite an enjoyable game. I definitely didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. As others have said, just based on your description of Knee Deep it seems to share some of the games aesthetic too. 

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On the note of requests, I haven't suggested one before, but I see you have P4 Dancing!
After finishing P4, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Persona 4 Dancing, especially your thoughts on the remixes and it's extensive story mode. I find it to be a much more in-depth game than P3 and P5 Dancing given the journey the Investigation Team go through, it'd be awesome to see your opinion on the game. ☺️

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10 minutes ago, Shrooba said:

On the note of requests, I haven't suggested one before, but I see you have P4 Dancing!
After finishing P4, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Persona 4 Dancing, especially your thoughts on the remixes and it's extensive story mode. I find it to be a much more in-depth game than P3 and P5 Dancing given the journey the Investigation Team go through, it'd be awesome to see your opinion on the game. 263a.png

 

Absolutely mate - added to the priority list with your name! ??

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@DrBloodmoney Keep it up! I'm sure everyone will agree that we have all been enjoying these reviews and thoughts and your super scientific ranking (Though you know I'm not seeing my favourite franchises high enough cough cough...lol) and long may it continue!

 

Might as well through in another request, bring on another Final Fantasy from your list, your choice ?

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4 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

Have any of the Hitman reboot games come up? I stopped skimming the rankings after Absolution because there's no way those games would rank below that! Anyway, as I'm sure you've guessed by now, I'd like to present yet another request1f607.png

 

ahhhh, shit. It finally happened. ?

 

I knew someone would put those in as a request at some point (in all honesty, I'm flabbergasted it hasn't happened yet, given the Agent 47 theme running through this thread already ?) - but I've been putting them off for one simple reason - I have no idea how to approach them!

 

So...

.... there is an inherent issue with the Hitman reboot games - the fact that each new game literally contains all of the previous games.

 

Since Hitman is playable within Hitman 2, and both are playable within Hitman 3, it almost feels redundant to have all three on the rankings separately. All 3 play similarly, and have most of the same positives, but each is successively bigger, given that it has all the previous content...

 

...on the other hand - it feels like putting "Himan Trilogy" as an entry feels weird, given that no other game has been treated that way (though, granted, no other game has that same functionality.)

 

This might seem like too much thinking about one game (or 3 games!) - and not super important in the grand scheme, but I do think it's of particular note, specifically because - Spoiler Alert (though not so much if you know my posts elsewhere on this site) - those games will place very highly. If considered as a trilogy - they are likely to place very, very highly.

 

What do you think folks?

  • Rank all three games separately, and only consider the "new" content in each?
  • Rank all three games separately, but consider the additions of previous game content?
  • Rank only Hitman 3 (or "The Hitman Trilogy",) and consider all content to be in one game?

 

I will say - I'm leaning towards the third option here, as I do consider the entire thing to be a "single" unified piece at this point... 

... but I could be swayed by a gentle breeze...

 

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2 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

ahhhh, shit. It finally happened. 1f602.png

 

I knew someone would put those in as a request at some point (in all honesty, I'm flabbergasted it hasn't happened yet, given the Agent 47 theme running through this thread already 1f604.png) - but I've been putting them off for one simple reason - I have no idea how to approach them!

 

So...

.... there is an inherent issue with the Hitman reboot games - the fact that each new game literally contains all of the previous games.

 

Since Hitman is playable within Hitman 2, and both are playable within Hitman 3, it almost feels redundant to have all three on the rankings separately. All 3 play similarly, and have most of the same positives, but each is successively bigger, given that it has all the previous content...

 

...on the other hand - it feels like putting "Himan Trilogy" as an entry feels weird, given that no other game has been treated that way (though, granted, no other game has that same functionality.)

 

This might seem like too much thinking about one game (or 3 games!) - and not super important in the grand scheme, but I do think it's of particular note, specifically because - Spoiler Alert (though not so much if you know my posts elsewhere on this site) - those games will place very highly. If considered as a trilogy - they are likely to place very, very highly.

 

What do you think folks?

  • Rank all three games separately, and only consider the "new" content in each?
  • Rank all three games separately, but consider the additions of previous game content?
  • Rank only Hitman 3 (or "The Hitman Trilogy",) and consider all content to be in one game?

 

Agreed on all counts... but I believe in you!

 

My vote goes for focusing the review mostly on 3, and ranking the games separately based on how much you enjoyed the contracts that were initially exclusive to each game. Or rather, the scientific results that each game yielded!

 

Whew, I was in trouble for a second there..

 

If Colossus gets a ranking for each console iteration, it seems unfair if the first two Hitman games don't.

 

Them's my thoughts. However you choose to go about it, I'll just be happy to see what the science says!

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1 minute ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Rank all three games separately, and only consider the "new" content in each?

 

That would be my pick. It's entirely up to you of course. Wouldn't lumping them all into one trilogy, mean that whole part of that batch will bust the forum software a new one? ?... There's a whole lot of stuff to talk about in each of those games. Many things that really deserve their own time in the sun, like specific level designs Sapienza and Mumbai for example that are both fairly unique. So I would have thought it would be easier to break them up, from a writing perspective at least.

 

Personally I think when I get to reviewing them I'm going to pretty much skim over the fact the next game, contains all of the content for the previous game - I don't really think it makes the game better for having it, you and I don't tend to focus too much on trophies all that much anyway, which seems to be where a lot of the negativity towards having that content there comes from anyway. 

Even though Hitman 3 does present the whole thing as the entire trilogy in one single package - complete with that stupid tutorial they seemed to think we wanted to play three times. I've still yet to play the third one, as it'll probably be the first game I play on PS5. Not that, that part is relevant at all ? just threw that one in there anyway. 

 

As I said though, it's all up to you! Your ranking needs to be how you want to do it. So if doing it as a trilogy seems best, go with that one.

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29 minutes ago, YaManSmevz said:

My vote goes for focusing the review mostly on 3, and ranking the games separately based on how much you enjoyed the contracts that were initially exclusive to each game.

 

26 minutes ago, rjkclarke said:

 

That would be my pick. It's entirely up to you of course.

 

 

Interesting...

 

... so I think @rjkclarke is definitely on to something here:

 

Quote

There's a whole lot of stuff to talk about in each of those games. Many things that really deserve their own time in the sun, like specific level designs Sapienza and Mumbai for example that are both fairly unique. So I would have thought it would be easier to break them up, from a writing perspective at least.

 

That is probably true. There are specific unique things about certain levels that would get lost in the mix in a single unified review.

 

However, personally, I don't with this:

26 minutes ago, rjkclarke said:

I don't really think it makes the game better for having it

 

Because I get into things like the contracts mode and the elusive targets, having all three games in one place is of tremendous value, and means Hitman 3 is - technically - one of the most content-rich games I've ever seen on a console.

 

I guess the way I was looking at it was that if someone hasn't played any of them, I would certainly tell them to simply get H3, and play all content within that shell, however, you are right - they are still separate games - if nothing else, from a purely financial standpoint - a player would still need to pay for all three separately, so there is still value to reviewing them discretely.

 

However, I cannot ignore the inclusion of previous content. That is such an important factor to the overall package for me...

 

Plus this:

26 minutes ago, rjkclarke said:

Wouldn't lumping them all into one trilogy, mean that whole part of that batch will bust the forum software a new one? 1f602.png...

 

will be true regardless ? - If I can wax lyrical for 1000 words on Knee Deep, then there is definitely going to be a novella coming for these games, and I do think that, even treating them separately, I need to do them all in the same batch...

 

So, I'll have a think, but I think maybe the way to do it is with separate rankings (keep to the letter of the law on the rankings), but with all three reviews coming in the same batch.

I can just accept that - most likely - each subsequent game is virtually guaranteed to rank higher than the previous. TBH, even taken purely on the missions new to each one, I actually have an inkling that would be true regardless... (little nudge for you there @rjkclarke - if you thought Mumbai was an interesting spin on level design, just you wait 'till Hitman 3! You ain't seen nothin' yet!)

 

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7 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Because I get into things like the contracts mode and the elusive targets, having all three games in one place is of tremendous value, and means Hitman 3 is - technically - one of the most content-rich games I've ever seen on a console.

 

That's a great point actually - I hadn't really considered that aspect, I dabbled with the contracts mode plenty myself, and I really like that element of it - I think it adds a huge layer of re-playability to those games.  But I didn't ever do any of the elusive targets. Which I should have done, I was always put off by them being a one time thing, or did they eventually ditch that as a concept?

 

9 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

guess the way I was looking at it was that if someone hasn't played any of them, I would certainly tell them to simply get H3, and play all content within that shell

 

That's also true - I guess they do differ slightly too. The missions from the first game in the second don't quite play the same, certain A.I changes between games got implemented so in some cases, what worked with manipulating A.I before might not necessarily work this time around. So the third game I guess does end up being the definitive way iO want you to play through that original game. 

 

I think I'd be inclined to say the same thing, that if all of the games are in one neat package - then just play that one, but then as you say you have to also own those games, so then you have two digital copies of games you might never play on an earlier console, peoples incentive might dry up because you've already played the superior version - what a weird conundrum eh.

 

14 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

If I can wax lyrical for 1000 words on Knee Deep, then there is definitely going to be a novella coming for these games, and I do think that, even treating them separately, I need to do them all in the same batch...

 

So, I'll have a think, but I think maybe the way to do it is with separate rankings (keep to the letter of the law on the rankings), but with all three reviews coming in the same batch.

 

Knee Deep was a great read though - and you didn't once have to talk about a film about dead moths ?.  I somehow haven't broken the forum software in my posts yet. I would if I posted five + reviews at a time like you tend to, I thought the Deus Ex one I wrote yesterday might, as it's just shy of 3,500 words. I never should have started looking at my word count ?

 

As I said, you've got to do what feels right for the science. I agree that it should probably all be in one batch though, if you do it that way. It'd be a nice way to tie them all together, and it would definitely flow nicely I think.

 

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2 minutes ago, rjkclarke said:

But I didn't ever do any of the elusive targets. Which I should have done, I was always put off by them being a one time thing, or did they eventually ditch that as a concept?


No, they still do that - it does make it tough when you forget about one (I have missed a fair few) but I have a mate who is equally as 47 obsessed to remind me - usually with a boast of how he got Silent Assassin, and we make a bit of a thing of it, trading videos and ‘war stories’ of each one…

…(well, to the extent that “I poisoned his coffee and drowned him in the toilet, then threw an axe through his mate’s head and fed him to a woodchipper” counts as a “war story”…?)

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1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

What do you think folks?

  • Rank all three games separately, and only consider the "new" content in each?
  • Rank all three games separately, but consider the additions of previous game content?
  • Rank only Hitman 3 (or "The Hitman Trilogy",) and consider all content to be in one game?

 

I will say - I'm leaning towards the third option here, as I do consider the entire thing to be a "single" unified piece at this point... 

... but I could be swayed by a gentle breeze...

 

 

I may not be the most qualified as I have only played the first game so far on a previous account (though I own all 3 of them). My thoughts would be the previous content should be somewhat of a moot point as they autopop when starting up the next version. It is a bonus feature for a noob to the series perhaps but Id wager without looking you have played each one before the next was dropped.

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17 minutes ago, gruffiiti said:

 

I may not be the most qualified as I have only played the first game so far on a previous account (though I own all 3 of them). My thoughts would be the previous content should be somewhat of a moot point as they autopop when starting up the next version. It is a bonus feature for a noob to the series perhaps but Id wager without looking you have played each one before the next was dropped.

 

Oh, for sure - and actually, those are games where I have most likely done all the requirements for the trophies quite a few times over, whether they auto popped or not - as - as @rjkclarke points out - there are subtle changes to the game mechanics in each iteration that slightly tweeks the way those early levels play (adding foliage, or changing AI routines or decision trees slightly, etc.) and I always like to see them.

 

The auto pop is fine as far as I'm concerned, but it has never been a dealbreaker for me - I'd happily replay the old content for them again, and I do think these games - more than most - are designed to support that ?

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15 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

Oh, for sure - and actually, those are games where I have most likely done all the requirements for the trophies quite a few times over, whether they auto popped or not - as - as @rjkclarke points out - there are subtle changes to the game mechanics in each iteration that slightly tweeks the way those early levels play (adding foliage, or changing AI routines or decision trees slightly, etc.) and I always like to see them.

 

The auto pop is fine as far as I'm concerned, but it has never been a dealbreaker for me - I'd happily replay the old content for them again, and I do think these games - more than most - are designed to support that ?

 

Didn't realize there were subtle differences from version to version. That is super cool. You just added hours to my future Hitman experience. :lol:

 

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Sad to hear that, Beyond Eyes - which was reviewed and ranked in Batch 8, and as I recall, was the subject of some discussion at the time in this thread, is apparently going to be permanently delisted soon, due to a falling out between the creator and the publisher.

 

A real shame - anyone who was planning on getting it and hasn’t yet, this might be your last chance to experience the world through little Rae.

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15 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Finished the PS5 version of Little Nightmares II today - God damn that game is a work of art! 

 

Loved it just as much the second time, but won't be doing a second ranking for this one - The PS5 version looks a tiny little bit better, but, frankly, the PS4 version looked so good anyways, that I don't think it would change the rankings one bit!

 

Bro, I'm so out of the loop! I didn't realise the PS5 version was out? If so, I'll definitely have to give this one a replay. I adore these games!

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