Most Recent Platinum

[preciseRNG]

#26 (and 100%) Need for Speed Payback

 

The Ultimate Payback

 

 

So this is the first NFS I played since my last try with the 2015's entry, which I did not quite enjoy.

The races Payback were fun, I liked the map though as for most NFS it felt quite empty. With arcade racers comes rubberbanding which I always hated.

The variety of cars and tuning options are really good here, once you get into the setup of the different classes it's nice to do the speedruns, drift zones, you name it.

I know that Payback is cloning Fast and the Furious with that game but come on, which donkey thought that our main characters shall be completely dull and uninteresting? The conversations (if you wanna call it that) sound retarded and they could not even try more to be super cool and zoomers, ending up in a complete cringefest. I mean none of the characters is interesting in any way. I hated Tyler and Sean the most just for the bullshit they are talking and the way how dead they look

 

 

I had fun with this game overall and of course got it cause of PS+. The DLC is a joke in lenght but adds some nice new tracks.

 

Here's the plat snap, don't mind my licence plate.

 

Edited October 21, 2020 by preciseRNG

[Arcesius]

 

  Platinum #75 – Nex Machina

 

 

 

The PitchPut your reflexes to the test with this fast-paced and gorgeous Arcade twin-stick shooter. The robot apocalypse is nigh, humanity needs your help... Let's Put your reflexes to the test with this fast-paced and gorgeous Arcade twin-stick shooter filled with neon and particle effects by Finnish developer Housemarque: The robot apocalypse is nigh and humanity needs your help... Let's go!

 

 

100% Enjoyment 

 

100% Challenge

 

 

The Best

Ah, Nex Machina... A game suggested to me by multiple people with great taste, but that took me a while to get to. I got it on a pretty recent sale for the ridiculous price of around 4€, but after playing it I wouldn't even be mad had I paid full-price. This game - and after the last couple of completions I'm even more glad to be able to write this - is such a good time! ? Holy hell, it already made a good impression from the little gameplay I had watched on the PS store, but man if this wasn't a great experience! 

 

But I want to keep the reviews short, so let me get straight to the best parts. Let's start with the music. There are certain games where the soundtrack is not that important... I'm thinking about games like Diablo, Gauntlet, etc... It's nice to have some soundtrack, but it is not integral to the experience. But for games like Nex Machina, packed with action, fast-paced, requiring quick reflexes and focus, the music can make all the difference. And I will compliment Nex Machina by comparing it to another game I think nails this aspect to an extent few games do... And that game is Furi. In both games, the music improves the experience significantly, and contributes towards keeping you "in the zone".

 

Just note for example how the music changes between the regular levels, to the boss stage. The impact of the bullets on the boss perfectly fit the beat of the music, and creates the tense atmosphere it needs to for you to stay focused and not die to one of the zillions of projectiles coming at you: 

 

 

Also, did you notice how all other sound effects are so that they are heard over the music? There is no confusion, you hear something and you know what it is that you picked up, what the sound means. Everything is well distinguishable and recognizable. They really did a great job here. ?

 

Then of course the level design. There are (only) six different worlds, but they all have a unique feel to them. You go from a forest, to a fire cave, to a futuristic city, ... It's very varied, and each world has their unique enemies (even though they are all robots.. that's what the game is about). But not only that. The different stages within a level seem to be on a rotating "cube" of some sort, and you will often see past or future stages in the background, upside down, on the side... it is genuineny very interesting how they put together each world, and while they could just as easily (if not even easier) link all stages in a linear fashion, the level transitions are part of the charme. 

 

 

And of course, the most important aspect... gameplay. The game has really easy controls. This is a twin-stick shooter, so aiming and shooting are done with the analogue sticks. Other than that, you have your secondary weapon and your dash on the shoulder buttons. That's it... Very simple, very effective. The game speed is very slow on the lowest difficulty setting (which I wouldn't recommend playing anyways, only for Misc trophy cleanup...), but is on point on Experienced to get into the game, and is perfect on Veteran. There is always something happening on screen, there is almost no room for a breather, so you better keep shooting the hordes of enemies trying to swarm you, taking down bigger foes with your secondary weapon, all while avoiding the neon bullet-hell unfolding around you. Once you are used to the speed and the enemies, you can play to get higher scores as well, at which point you should also focus on secondary objectives such as rescuing humans before they are harvested by robots, destroy hidden objects, etc... Just... fantastic.. ?

 

 

The Worst

You know, after the major issues I had with the last couple of games I reviewed, there really isn't too much to criticize about Nex Machina, so I'll keep it short. For one, the narrator's voice comes out of the DS4, which really I'm not a fan of (that's it? That's your critique? Really?). 

 

Other than that, the game is pretty short... As mentioned above, there are only six worlds, and you can - once you are familiar with the game - clear each world in around 6 minutes or less. Of course there is always something more to do, like getting higher scores, or playing on even higher difficulties... But even an Arcade run, where you beat all worlds in a row, "only" takes 30-40 minutes. 

 

And finally, the only "real" issue I have with the game... When you destroy a crate containing a secondary weapon, it starts rotating options. Say you open the crate, and the weapon is the "Laser". After 1-2 seconds the weapon rotates to the "Powershot", then the "Rocket Launcher", etc... Meaning that if you want a specific weapon, you need to pick it up when it has rotated to that weapon, and have only a small window to pick it up before it has rotated to the next option. With the game being so hectic, it is not always easy to pick up whatever you want.... And picking up the wrong weapon can screw you big time. 

It actually happened to me that during an Arcade run on Veteran, I got to the fifth boss (the hardest boss in the run) and instead of picking up the "Smartbomb" I acidentally picked up the "Sword". That happened to me TWICE IN A ROW! ? And no, I didn't beat the Architect with the sword ? Not on Veteran at least (but I got to Phase 3, so there's that...). 

 

 

The Challenge:  

Now, the challenge. Let me say that the developers have been really nice to us here. The trophy list is, in my opinion, right on point. There is enough stuff on there that will keep you playing for around 30 hours despite the game being pretty short, while offering a decent challenge. 

Most trophies are pretty straightforward and will have you complete Arcade runs on various difficulties or without using any continues. The hardest trophy for the platinum is definitely completing an arcade run on Veteran, but after practicing each individual world on that difficulty, the run is more than manageable. 

 

Then there are a bunch of Misc trophies, of which many will come through natural play, but even those that don't are easy enough, and more importantly, pretty fun to go after. ?

 

However, I say that the developers have been really nice... Because let me tell you, if the trophy "Complete 100" feats would instead have been "Complete ALL feats", this would have been without a doubt a straight 10/10 in difficulty. 

Feats are various tasks you need to complete.. they range from saving all humans in a world, to defeating each boss with a specific weapon, to beating each world on various difficulty settings under a certain time limit,... They are extra challenges, so to speak. 

 

Now, there are over 200 feats, so completing 100 of them isn't too bad, since you can pick the ones that take the least amout of time. However, there are feats for beating the true final boss, Nex Machina, which you can only face after completing an Arcade run without using any continue, so there is no way to practice the fight other than at the end of a successful 1CC Arcade run.. An there is a feat for beating him on Experienced, on Veteran, on Master and ON HERO ? Yes, you see that right. there are two more difficulties after Veteran. In particular, a Hero run can only be started after a successful Master run! Now, imagine having to defeat Nex Machina on Hero... I doubt that more than a handful of people have actually achieved that feat. 

 

So yeah... for the platinum, you only have to beat the first world on Master... Thank you, Housemarque ? 

[TenebraZero]

 #63

Sword Art Online Fatal Bullet

 

Trophy Hunter

Acquire all trophies.

 

 

Enjoyment 8/10

Difficulty 3/10

DLC difficulty 6.5/10

Time to plat 95 hours

 

Hardest trophy

Snowscape Subjugator
Defeat Cocytus Nifta on Extreme difficulty.

[DefinitiveTJ]

Platinum 62: Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle

 

 

My first Blazblue title since Calamity Trigger which I played maybe 8 years ago. It's cool to see a franchise reach a more mainstream appeal while still staying true to it's core. This title brings in fighters from Persona 4 Arena, Under Night and RWBY for an ultimate fun mash up. The game is very easy to pick up and it's a recommend start for anyone who even has a vague interest in one of these franchises. 

 

In terms of difficulty I had once again trouble with the combo/mission challenges and even bought dlc to make it easier but apart from that it's very doable. Sadly, the ranked online mode is completely dead since most people either moved on to Dragon Ball FighterZ or Granblue (which I will do also) or only play casual. 

 

This mostly reminded me how cool Blazblue is and it's time to make a proper return to the main titles. 

 

[JadedDragos]

#103

The Mooseman

[Omelette Paradise]

 #408 - Ghost Files: Memory of a Crime

 

 

Another solid hidden object game from Artifex Mundi with the usual beautifully drawn scenes. The story in this one was rather predictable and the voice acting was cheesy but I enjoyed it.

 

Difficulty: 7/10

Enjoyment: 2/10

[Nelson_]

#242 - Utawarerumono Zan

 

 

[Gedroger]

#1 - Crash Bandicoot 

 

#2 - Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back 

 

#3 - Crash Bandicoot: Warped 

 

#4 - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time 

[HellcoreFire]

Destroy All Humans! (PS2)

#147 Ruler of Earth 

[Yoey_666]

 

#380 - Cosmic Star Heroine

 

Beautiful pixel art indie rpg. Even if I am not a big fan of turnbased games anymore, I really enjoyed my time.

[GT__Jedi]

Plat #65: Cat Quest 

 

 

Finally got back to this game (only took a year) and what a gem!  I recommend it to anyone for some fun, kick back gaming.  Definitely going to add Cat Quest II to my backlog.

[AK-1138]

Platinum #249: 

 

 

Difficulty: 3/10

Playtime: 2-3 hours

Enjoyment: 7/10

 

Whew, I gotta tell ya, Halloween preparations ain't no joke. First ya gotta bake pumpkin cookies and fight someone to the death for that last bag of pumpkin spice, then you gotta practice your pumpkin carols and find the most sincere looking pumpkin patch for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. All this stressful work has me hankering for some kind of a break... perhaps of an overly sugary persuasion. What to do...?

 

Whoa, time out. I can't believe I made such a protracted lead-in to a crap joke when I'm not even sure in what context the game's title uses the word. Is it a reference to the aforementioned kind of a break, or to the copious candies you'll be breaking in this Samhainian Breakout clone? Or both? Or is this just a pathetic belaboured excuse for creating a superficially lengthy write-up?

 

...So yeah, anyways, this is a decent bit of arcadey fun based around the cornucopia of colorful and mildly carcinogenic treats the season offers. Being a mobile game port, it don't reinvent the wheel or nothing, and it doesn't quite hit that sweet spot (no pun intended) of engaging gameplay that doesn't overwhelm you with stuff happening... it's very either/or. Thankfully, it's pretty forgiving, as you will really almost have to try to suck to ever see the Game Over screen. It's also full of tricks in the form of luck-based trophies that can cause some undue brow-furrowing. But I'll give them some extra credit for a properly laid-out trophy list with some rather nifty trophy art to boot. I've seen better games make a lesser effort in this regard.

 

Nothing anyone will really remember down the line, but for its price point, it works a treat. 

[voodoo_eyes]

#505 - The Walking Dead: Final Season

 

 

Least favourite episode by far. WAy too many choices that lead to a game over, than to a consequence from another character. Also felt like consequences were a lot less impactful. Didn't really care for the collectible aspect in this game either and the "combat scenes" weren't fun.

 Visualy it's a step up, and story-wise it's still solid. So it's just an OK game overall.

 

 

Enjoyment: 6

Difficulty: 2

[MilanYildirim]

#187th. Vampyr
Good game, shame it runs like a fucking ps2 game from 2003 and it crashes more than 10 years old Android phone.

[OakfieldPark]

 

I Am Bread.

 

Great game, awesome style, it was kind of a bucket list platinum of mine and I wanted to know if I could even do it. 

 

My only gripe is how unfortunately buggy it still is after 5 years. The collision is a nightmare, constantly becoming stuck through objects, clipping inside walls and regularly losing items to the ether by them falling through the floor, it makes an already tightly-wound and challenging game on it's own that much more difficult. 4 times I had to go into system data and delete my saved preferences for it because the audio simply stopped working but I guess it's all part of the charm, I'm still thinking in crumby bread puns and still kinda proud of myself for reaching it, it's been a while since I was that elated about the trophy pop and it reminded me why I love trophy hunting.

 

 

[mako-heart]

 

The Walking Dead

Earn all trophies in: "The Walking Dead"

[z-Blazee]

#277 - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

 

Master Marsupial

Get EVERY trophy

[Inuty]

#209

Legend of the Skyfish (PS4)

Enjoyment: 5/10

Difficulty: 1/10 

Time: 4 Hours

 

#210

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 4/10 

Time: 80 Hours

 

#211

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Hacker´s Memory (PS4)

Enjoyment: 9/10

Difficulty: 5/10 

Time: 75 Hours

 

#212

One Finger Death Punch 2 (PS4)

Enjoyment: 10/10

Difficulty: 3/10 

Time: 20 Hours

 

 

#213

Patapon Remastered (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 5/10 

Time: 20 Hours

 

#214

Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)

Enjoyment: 7/10

Difficulty: 3/10 

Time: 30 Hours

 

#215

Vampyr (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 4/10 

Time: 35 Hours

 

#216

Coffee Talk (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 2/10 

Time: 8 Hours

 

#217

The Mummy Demastered (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 2/10 

Time: 6 Hours

 

 

#218

The Mummy Demastered (PS4)

Enjoyment: 10/10

Difficulty: 6/10 

Time: 20 Hours

 

#219

PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate (PS4)

Enjoyment: 7/10

Difficulty: 4/10 

Time: 20 Hours

 

#220

Far Cry 3: Classic Edition (PS4)

Enjoyment: 8/10

Difficulty: 3/10 

Time: 20 Hours

Edited October 22, 2020 by Inuty

[Deadly_Silent-Xx]

Platinum #198 and #199

Habroxia • EU (PS4 and PS Vita)

 

Habroxia Platinum
Earn every other trophy

[Herbset]

#20 The Last of Us Part 2

This game is too damn long. Like seriously, that Abby part felt like a long ass trip to the dentist. There's no way I'm suffering through survivor. Maybe one day if I feel particularly masochistic. TLOU Remastered survivor playthrough took me 11ish hours, this freaking crap took me 33h on MODERATE. Bitch wtf, no. Overall, it's like 5/10, wanted it to be my 20th plat since #10 is TLOU remastered and it holds a special place in my heart.

[JoaLoft]

 

#234 - Cat Quest

 

Despite having such a huge backlog, I was requested by @Mayellie to try out the Cat Quest games. She guaranteed I could get through them quickly. And was she right or what!

 

Cat Quest is a very light RPG where you play as a feline warrior, whose sister has been kidnapped - or should I say, catnapped - by the mysterious Drakoth who throws multiple obstacles in your way. As a Dragonblood (exceptional cat warriors infused with dragon magic) you'll be helping out other feline brethren and sisters with quests, slay ancient dragons, level up, use magic spells and a wide array of weapons -- Yes, you're right, that DOES sound a lot like Skyrim. To no surprise: the game draws inspiration from said game, Final Fantasy and the Zelda games. Not only that, it is full of cat puns and some references to other pop culture media. One quest will have you help out an archaeologist called "Cara Loft" for instance, and another features a blacksmith with a fondness for a show called "The Pounding Dead". The game even breaks the fourth wall at times and adresses how lame the villain is, for example.

 

Which bring us to where the real meat of the game lies. Although there is a purr-pose (pun intended) to everything, the main story is mostly really generic, and should not be your main focus on why you should try out this game. You should try out Cat Quest for how light-hearted it is, and how easy you can pick this up and play. Moving, fighting, picking up quests: it all happens on the overworld, just like in the very first Zelda and Final Fantasy games. On top of that: you can only start and tackle one side quest at a time, so you will never have to worry about juggling a dozen open side quests, and having to toggle an active one to avoid dealing with a muddy overview and loads of map markers. Picking up new armor and weapons works just as well: there's no carry limit, so you can swap easily. Also, you don't need to worry about leveling or modifying any gear, the only abilities you can level up are the magic ones with gold you earn through dungeon exploration and as side quest rewards.

 

Honestly, this game works for both newcomers or really young players as a sort of "My First RPG" (i.e. children) or if you're in need of something incredibly light as a hardcore gamer. It gives you a brief overview when you press "New Game" and five minutes later, you're already leveling up and handling a few side quests. Yes, that's how quickly you transition into the flow of the entire design. I can not recall any other game that handed me the reins this quickly and just went: "have at it!", which is for all intents and purposes a compliment. I don't know if I'd fully recommend it on PS4 - as your first choice of platform, that is - because this type of game is just purr-fect (last one, promise) for mobile devices! Still, it plays very fluidly on consoles, so it mostly just comes down to your own preference.

 

Most frustrating trophy - Dungeon Master

 

 

Let's get one thing out of the way here: Cat Quest has a ridiculously easy trophy list. You can complete this entire game in less than 24 hours. And I don't mean that as in "accumulated": I do mean you can finish Cat Quest and get all the trophies in ONE day! Which I would not consider to be a bad thing, because the game is fairly cheap and it doesn't outstay its welcome.

 

Once you finish the story and ticked off most of the other trophies, like finding all the monuments, finishing the side quests and so on, you'll be left with clearing all the dungeons and grinding to level 99. The end-game grind is a breeze and you'll hit the cap in no time. Relatively speaking, the trophy that required the most time for me, was clearing out all 52 dungeons in the game. Seven or eight that I still needed to visit, were scattered all over the map, and the game's icons do not exactly enlarge when you zoom out on the map, so I had to look closely to see which ones I missed.

 

Overall: very easy game, very easy platinum trophy, and for what it is: an enjoyable charming little game. Recommended if you require a break from all the hardcore games you have sitting in your backlog!

[Lordguwa]

platinum #461 Typoman: Revised 

completed in 4 days and 15 hours

platinum rarity 13.73% rare

 

game took longer than expected since they count deaths as they happen ingame. going through my backlog found something i'm willing to try. it's going to be contrast (ps3) and Defense Grid 2 (ps4) one of my older games in my backlog again.

Edited October 22, 2020 by kingdrake2

[MilanYildirim]

#188. Death's Gambit.
If l have to give a tip about this game, it would be stay the fuck out of it.

[SoapMacTavish222]

#379 Far Cry: New Dawn

 

Pros: Love the open world, had a decent story that continues off Far Cry 5, the new weapons are pretty slick.

 

Cons: Extremely short story, felt like it should've been a DLC instead of a full game, some of the trophies are a bit repetitive due to lack of story.

 

Overall it was worth playing but I am glad I didn't buy it brand new because of how short it was.

[Burek_san]

211 - Detroit Become Human 

Fun and easy game