Visighost's Backlog Tryouts

[visighost]

My backlog is a joke. I thought I'd try and earn at least a trophy every day for a game I have either never booted, or in some cases have but without progressing far enough to earn one. Who knows, I might find a few I'll keep playing till completion... Follow my epic journey through whatever the RNG gods throw my way! I'll try and post updates every week.

 

Current backlog:

2634 PS4/5/vita games

1795 of which I have not earned a trophy for

 

 

Sep 1: Warpips

PSNP Owners: 163

Verdict: pending

 

 

 

Aug 31: Roller Drama

PSNP Owners: 16

Verdict: 🟰

 

For a change, the RNG decided I'd try out a game I just bought. I won't lie, I'm a sucker for art in video games, and it's definitely what drew me in for this one. The rare reviews spoke of a mix of sports (roller derby, obviously) and visual novel, which immediately made me think of Pyre, a game I loved (yes, bolded AND underlined). With Roller Drama... I'm not sure where I stand. The art is indeed totally my cup of tea, so that's a pro. Nothing is voiced, but I wasn't expecting it to be given what I assume the game's budget was. The interaction between the coach and players is starting to shape up, but nothing really stands out yet, and I'm not sure the empathy points you gain have a clear effect. Gameplay-wise, the light "puzzle" of moving around the house, finding items, and chatting with your players was fine, but maybe unnecessary. The roller derby itself was a bigger disappointment. The few times I've seen the sport live, it was fast-paced, violent, and we cheered the whole time. Here, it felt slow and confusing (but not in the fun chaotic way of the live version). You control a player that can boost and jump and guard, and can send instructions to the rest of your players, but I didn't really grasp that part, so I ended up just racing and guarding, winning one bout, losing another, and clicking on auto-play (which I lost) by mistake. I'm sure I just need to spend more with it, but as this whole thread is about first impressions, I can't say it left one that was positive enough to pin the game to my taskbar (or whatever the PS5 version is called).

 

 

Aug 30: Vanquish

PSNP Owners: 210 035

Verdict: pending

 

I've been delinquent on this one. I keep falling asleep on the tutorial. Not sure why, the controls seem very smooth and the game looks fun enough. This weekend!

 

 

Aug 29: Future Unfolding

PSNP Owners: 186

Verdict: 🟰

 

That's a tough one to discuss. I think I picked it up following a good review on Treasure Trove (wrong name for a small indie game review blog/site) and I honestly thought I was getting into another fox-controlling games akin to Endling, Spirit of the North, Lost Ember or Seasons After Fall. But no, Future Unfolding is quite different. I'm not sure if calling it experimental is accurate, but it certainly doesn't appear to be following a standard progression or narrative tree. You control a humanoid figure which can run and call animals, that can befriend various critters, and... be eaten by wolves (or lions? not entirely clear). You roam, teleporting across the map, and... that's about it? I think it's meant to be a mood/experience creator rather and not a gamers' game (whatever that means). The closest comparison I can make is to the Vita/PS3 game Proteus. It's certainly not bad. But maybe not one that I will reboot tomorrow either.

 

 

Aug 28: Indivisible

PSNP Owners: 15 037

Verdict:✔️

 

This was a tricky one: the reviews were glowing, but I was aware that the studio owner was problematic to say the least, which ultimately led to its closure. Still, Night in the Woods is one of my favourite games ever, and I would have missed out on something beautiful had I boycotted it because of Holowka's terrible behaviour. I won't pretend to have a solution to the creator vs. their work conundrum, but I did end up making the conscious choice of buying Indivisible, and hope that the good people behind it got some compensation through that act.

 

Of course, the fact that the studio closed also means that a few glitched trophies will never be fixed. This in itself would have pushed the game down the backlog were it not for the RNG picking it today. Oh well, I'll try the solution @Optinooby proposed (admittedly with little faith it will work). Who knows, it seems like the trophies were obtained by a few people on the Japanese version.

 

And the game itself? Well I'm about 30 minutes in as I write this, but it's funny, it's pretty, it's smooth, it's got spunk - and a South Asian vibe you don't see often enough in gaming. More after I spend another hour with it tonight! Just back from a kid's soccer game and soba + tempura await!

 

Update (Aug 29): I only ended up playing a little bit more. I am curious to see how the combat system will evolve, but as it stands, the system of assigning one button for each character makes it quick, but fairly uni-dimensional: I was not entirely clear what the alternative attacks did and mashing the buttons got me through the fights just fine. I'm barely past the tutorial stage, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as to whether it will improve. Another one I'll try to get back to!

 

 

Aug 27: Escape First III

PSNP Owners: 304

Verdict: 🟰

 

Three days in and I've already cheated: After some hesitation about whether I should accept the rng selection result since I haven't played the first 2 installments, I booted EF3, and, checking @Zipp Storm's guide, soon realized there were some missables that would require me following a video guide. Wasn't feeling like pulling out my phone, so I put the DualSense back down. To be followed!

 

Update (Aug 29): I realized Steam had a text guide and booted the game again. Not going to lie, following instructions for an escape room game makes them a lot less fun, but I don't typically like to play games twice, so I'll chalk it to a bad combination. The setting for the first level (there are three) is fairly generic: a good ol' abandoned school at night. The puzzles were generic enough... from what I recall. See, I note from my PSNP stats that I finished the level and even started the second (heck, I even booted another game after that!), but have no memory of it. I think I fell asleep on it, would wake up to follow one Steam instruction line, fall back asleep, etc. Hmm. I'll get back to it eventually (if only to clear it from the backlog!), but one thing's certain: it did not grab my attention.

 

 

Aug 26: Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials

PSNP Owners: 168

Verdict:✔️

 

I got this on sale a while back. There wasn't a whole lot of information available (still isn't) and the absence of a guide + low trophy percentages + a speedrun + a no death run + multiple endings requirements made it a perfect candidate for long-term backlog staycation. But after I spent a few hours on it, I found myself rebooting it the days after, so I can safely say it's fun! It actually made me chuckle a few times, and while the action rpg metroidvania formula is nothing new, I'll likely play some more! UPDATE: Well, I am now stuck - I think I've explored all potential exits and I'm really not sure where to go. So maybe I won't.

 

 

Aug 25: Trials Fusion

PSNP Owners: 317 343

Verdict:✔️

 

I can't recall if I got this for free back when it was a monthly PS+ game or if I'd bought it before then as it's often on sale, but I finally booted it... only to get a message from my PS5 that I already had a save for it? Uh. Adding to the confusion, I quickly found out that the first levels remained unplayed... despite me recalling having unlocked the unicorn and racing it a few times with my kids - there's nothing that made my kids laugh as much as a unicorn tumbling face first down a slope (other than a skater tumbling in OlliOlli or a bike in Lonely Mountains), so the memory stuck. Not sure what happened, but it meant I was at least a bit familiar with the controls. Which doesn't mean I didn't crash a lot. The physics are hard to master. Fun little game, but the high difficulty and the fact I'd need to get DLC to 100% it mean it will go back on ice.

Edited September 1, 2023 by visighost

[DrBloodmoney]

🙌Woot Woot! 🙌

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you have one of the most interesting selections of games on your profile, and if there was ever a checklist I'd want to follow from day one, it's this one!

 

You're doing Gods work, finding the gems among the silt, and I've had more than a few games I've ended up loving where the first I heard about them was your good self - so consider this followed... for my own benefit! 😜

Edited August 28, 2023 by DrBloodmoney

[GothGirlMaxine]

Thanks for the mention Visi! I would definitely recommend checking out the rest of the series, same for Escape 2088 and Curious Cases. Although The Experiment is good too but the 3 person multiplayer can be a turnoff for some people. All of the games are made by the same devs and I've done guides for all of them anyway so you're in good hands. There is also another game from them coming soon which I hope to cover as well, so hopefully that will turn out well too. 

 

Although I think EF3 is a bit longer than 1 & 2, but yeah I don't blame you for not wanting to bother with a guide at the time. 

[Platinum_Vice]

5 hours ago, visighost said:

2637 PS4/5/vita games

 

Jesus. And I thought I had an unruly backlog. 

 

Day 1 thread follow for you, Visi. RIP my backlog. 

[visighost]

6 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you have one of the most interesting selections of games on your profile, and if there was ever a checklist I'd want to follow from day one, it's this one!

 

You're doing Gods work, finding the gems among the silt, and I've had more than a few games I've ended up loving where the first I heard about them was your good self - so consider this followed... for my own benefit! 😜

 

That's extremely kind of you Dr. B. - I doubt I'll meet any of your expectations, but if anything I post ends up leading a few people to play and enjoy games they wouldn't have otherwise, it will have been worth it! I'm hopeful that I did my due diligence buying the games in the first place, and that most of what I play will have some redeeming value!

 

5 hours ago, Zipp Storm said:

Thanks for the mention Visi! I would definitely recommend checking out the rest of the series, same for Escape 2088 and Curious Cases. Although The Experiment is good too but the 3 person multiplayer can be a turnoff for some people. All of the games are made by the same devs and I've done guides for all of them anyway so you're in good hands. There is also another game from them coming soon which I hope to cover as well, so hopefully that will turn out well too. 

 

Although I think EF3 is a bit longer than 1 & 2, but yeah I don't blame you for not wanting to bother with a guide at the time. 

 

All those games are in my backlog (or already finished for Curious Cases). I am partial to a good ol' escape room once in a while! And while I try to play them legit, knowing there's missable trophies I need to look for is extremely helpful - you have my gratitude! If you write any more of those and it's not too much trouble, a few quick bullets on what to look out for for us non-video-likey people would be very much appreciated.

 

34 minutes ago, Platinum_Vice said:

Jesus. And I thought I had an unruly backlog. 

 

Day 1 thread follow for you, Visi. RIP my backlog. 

 

Thanks! If any backlog won't ever get to rest in peace, it's mine... I have the same sickness with books and board games: reading reviews and deal-shopping is half the fun!

[GothGirlMaxine]

23 minutes ago, visighost said:

All those games are in my backlog (or already finished for Curious Cases). I am partial to a good ol' escape room once in a while! And while I try to play them legit, knowing there's missable trophies I need to look for is extremely helpful - you have my gratitude! If you write any more of those and it's not too much trouble, a few quick bullets on what to look out for for us non-video-likey people would be very much appreciated.

 

I might do that sure, and maybe I could write up some gameplay walkthrough guides on the site so I can help those who prefer text guides. Although I'll probably write them up in the same way as my video guides rather than trying to take the long way around so to speak. Thanks for the suggestion! Anything to help the community. 

[modest_undue1]

Oh boy. And I though my backlog of endless psplus games was bad... thread followed.

[visighost]

Week one's over! Hope you had a nice one. The kids have started school again here, for a few days before they leave for Japan with my significant other. A bit chaotic, but hey, isn't it  the spice of life? I'm already behind in this backlog exercise by one game, which isn't so bad given my tendency to procrastinate (and the fact while I'm having fun, I'm also trying to play games to completion on the side!). The random number generator gave me a nice mix of AAA games everyone will know and tiny indies with very few players. I'd say Batbarian was my favourite, closely followed by Indivisible. No major disappointments were found - my expectations for Future Unfolding and Roller Drama weren't met, but I'm confident that giving them a few more hours will improve my initial impressions. I might use a game I haven't played in forever as a Saturday option rather than one I have never earned a trophy for. And maybe take a break on Sunday! Comments and requests welcome. Otherwise, I'm thinking of keeping on updating the thread every day, but only "bumping" it once a week. Let me know if it's too much / annoying. Hope you're all well otherwise! Cheers!

[visighost]

Lesson learned: do not promise what you can't deliver. So I promise to play games, but not to actually regularly write about them. Still, it was a productive month in that regard. Family went to Japan for a few weeks, so I suddenly had more free time, which I dutifully spent attacking my backlog (and having fun, mind you). Here's the first few that I played in September:

 

 

Sep: Indivisible

PSNP Owners: 364

Verdict:✔️

 

Fun, unpretentious puzzler. You control a cube that needs to beat other cubes to gain access to stronger weapons or armour, which allows you to beat yet other cubes and open passages, etc. You can probably get it for a few bucks, and have fun for a few hours.

 

 

Sep: Project Starship X

PSNP Owners: 3 060

Verdict: ✔️

 

Another East Asia Soft shoot 'em up, another fun one! As always, they went for the easy trophy list rather than the complete-everything-without-dying Ikaruga style, but hey, I don't mind. I had fun and didn't need to spend 100 hours on it.

 

 Sep: Mighty Math

PSNP Owners: 424

Verdict: ✔️

 

Could be deceiving: this isn't one of those shovelware "1+1=?" games, but rather an easy concept think-fast action game. You control a box with 9 "slots". You fill or empty these slots depending on the numbers you move into, which go progressively faster, through dark screens, etc., and can't have more than 9 or less than 0. It's kinda fun, and surprisingly hard!

 

 

Sep: Mangavania

PSNP Owners: 402

Verdict: 🟰

 

Not strictly a Metroidvania as you simply buy abilities, which may or may not be required to progress in the level. Otherwise, it's a standard pixelated platformer. I mean, it's not terrible, I finished it and all, but... Don't go in expecting too much?

 

 

 Sep: Replikator

PSNP Owners: 117

Verdict: ?

 

One of Ratalaika's more expensive titles, with a corresponding you-actually-need-to-finish-the-game list (or maybe not, unsure if there's more than two bosses). It plays like a roguelite twin-stick, and was good fun, but for a reason or another I quickly moved to something else. Will get back to it eventually.

 

 

Sep: Little Disaster

PSNP Owners: 546

Verdict: 🟰

 

One of Ratalaika's typical titles: a pixelated precision platformer which could be really hard but with a super easy trophy list. I think I'm a bit numbed right now. It was fine, but I've already mostly forgotten about it.

 

 

 Sep: Mighty Mage

PSNP Owners: 397

Verdict: 🟰

 

I don't know how you call these games: you control your movement, but your attacks launch automatically. Like Vampire Survivors or Spirit Hunters. I spent a lot of time on the latter this month, so comparison is unavoidable. SH is involved, with good challenges, and a great system of skill, character and level unlock. This... is a single level, 4 types of ability that work exactly the same, and only a few types of baddies. It's a quick platinum for sure, but play Spirit Hunters first!

 

More later...

[modest_undue1]

Couple of good games in there, might try them out. Thanks for update brother 😁

[PHIL_DADDY1]

That backlog is insane!!! I thought mine was bad, which is only in the hundreds....

 

On 8/29/2023 at 9:52 AM, modest_undue1 said:

Oh boy. And I though my backlog of endless psplus games was bad... thread followed.

Those PS Plus games will never stop 🤪