AJ_Radio's Disappointing Backlog and Wishlist

[AJ_Radio]

Just now, StewartBros said:

I'm a few months late here, but congrats on finishing this game.  I still can't beat any of those damn Time Trials - I think there was one where I fell short of the bronze time by a TENTH of a second, and a couple of others where I fell short by 1-2 seconds, and I don't think I'll ever beat them.

 

The platinum rarity is very misleading. You can't do those trials with auto braking. You definitely have to practice a lot.

 

Despite my efforts, I was NEVER able to get a gold in any of the trials. I had silvers in one or two, the rest were bronze.

 

1 minute ago, StewartBros said:

AC IV was an excellent game - I platted it on PS3 and PS4 and enjoyed it both times.

 

I wouldn't necessarily agree that Committed to the Cause is the "hardest" trophy - it's a bit of a grind, yes, but it's not "hard".  The way to make this more enjoyable is to play Wolfpack with a friend - you can chat to each other whilst playing and make the overall grind more tolerable, and the time targets are easier to meet since you don't have to do everything yourself.

 

Edward Kenway is my second favorite protagonist of the Assassin's Creed franchise, behind only Ezio of course.

 

I was on the fence whether or not this trophy was going to be what I felt the hardest. This was the second go around and I was familiar with practically all of the main story missions. There were a couple that relied heavily on stealth for 100% sync but none of it was difficult. This was my hardest when I finished Black Flag on the first go around.

 

Committed to the Cause was honestly a very boring grind. Somehow Max Payne 3's Rank 50 trophy was literally twice the length of Committed to the Cause. Doing Black Flag TWICE, I had to spend 30 hours of horrid, monotonous grinding doing the same Wolfpack sessions over and over and over.

 

There was nothing difficult for me doing Black Flag the second time, but because of sheer boredom I just picked Committed to the Cause.

[AJ_Radio]

Will be finally updating this thread again. Got so many games to cover, it's almost overwhelming. Backlog is also out of date.

 

OP isn't as professional looking as some other Trophy Checklist threads, but it's the thought and substance that counts. Don't care much for making my topic look appealing graphically as long as I can do what I want with it and how I want to track my progress.

[Copanele]

Damn welcome back, you re-revived the thread  

You really have some catching up to do hah but as you said, it's the thought that counts! Especially since the next game should be Max Payne 3, if you are picking them up in order, which is an impressive one!
And of course, mandatory waiting for the Yakuza 0 review 

[Shrooba]

Good to see you've still got this thread in mind, it's always good reading about your experiences on the games you've played. I know exactly how you feel when you say you've got so many games to talk about. I do struggle a bit with procrastination so I can relate! ? But in any case, it's good to see you back on this thread again, and I look forward to what's to come!

[AJ_Radio]

I abandoned this thread because I kind of lost faith in it. Was too hard for me to balance life, work and gaming all in one so I've basically been working and gaming without contributing anything to this thread of mine, or posting any status update reviews. Life has become a bit stressful for me in recent months because of 'reasons', nobody needs to know because it's pretty private.

 

Anyway, I'm finally going to try to revitalize this thread in the hopes that I can finally catch up to the most recent game I've been playing (Final Fantasy VII, aka FF7). There's so much ground and discussion to cover so let us backtrack to last September, starting with...

 

Platinums #285: Max Payne 3 (September 8th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 8/10

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 70 - 80+ Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: The Shadows Rushed Me ( Unlock And Complete New York Minute Hardcore )

 

My crown jewel in the PS3 collection of games that I own.

 

Not a whole lot to say here, as I said most everything I wanted to say on this game last Fall. Great game. A protagonist who draws comparisons to Walter from Breaking Bad. Well executed gameplay mechanics. The signature Bullet Time effect of the Max Payne franchise.

 

For anyone who didn't see it, here's my actual picture of me getting New York Minute Hardcore...

 

 

A now unobtainable platinum for a PS3 game that I will always cherish. Apart from from the Rank 50 grind in multiplayer, which took around 30 to 35 hours on its own, I enjoyed almost every hour I played of Max Payne 3.

Edited June 19, 2022 by AJ_Radio
Added picture for NYMHC

[ShadyWARcotix]

3 hours ago, AJ_Radio said:

I abandoned this thread because I kind of lost faith in it. Was too hard for me to balance life, work and gaming all in one so I've basically been working and gaming without contributing anything to this thread of mine, or posting any status update reviews. Life has become a bit stressful for me in recent months because of 'reasons', nobody needs to know because it's pretty private.

 

Anyway, I'm finally going to try to revitalize this thread in the hopes that I can finally catch up to the most recent game I've been playing (Final Fantasy VII, aka FF7). There's so much ground and discussion to cover so let us backtrack to last September, starting with...

 

Platinums #286: Max Payne 3 (September 8th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 8/10

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 70 - 80+ Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: The Shadows Rushed Me ( Unlock And Complete New York Minute Hardcore )

 

My crown jewel in the PS3 collection of games that I own.

 

Not a whole lot to say here, as I said most everything I wanted to say on this game last Fall. Great game. A protagonist who draws comparisons to Walter from Breaking Bad. Well executed gameplay mechanics. The signature Bullet Time effect of the Max Payne franchise.

 

For anyone who didn't see it, here's my actual picture of me getting New York Minute Hardcore...

 

 

A now unobtainable platinum for a PS3 game that I will always cherish. Apart from from the Rank 50 grind in multiplayer, which took around 30 to 35 hours on its own, I enjoyed almost every hour I played of Max Payne 3.

 

I don't care about completion rates but I played the story at least few weeks ago (the servers were already shutdown) and I enjoyed story a lot. Congrats to the platinum!

[AJ_Radio]

10 hours ago, ShadyWARcotix said:

 

I don't care about completion rates but I played the story at least few weeks ago (the servers were already shutdown) and I enjoyed story a lot. Congrats to the platinum!

 

You do what you have to do.

[AJ_Radio]

Platinums #286: The Bunker (September 11th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 2/10

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 4 Hours

 

 

To be discussing this game at any length is to reveal spoilers, so I'll spare those and keep this short.

 

It's interesting to see how far FMV style video games have come. Sega CD sort of pioneered FMV back in the 1990s, however they were low quality FMV games that were pretty forgettable. The Bunker, while not a masterpiece worthy of an Oscar nomination, is well worth your time if you're looking for something different.

 

There are various collectibles to be had here, which aren't too far out of the way but a couple can be easily missed. I followed a now defunct YouTuber named @Stay-Pationt who posted a playthrough of The Bunker sometime in late 2016, before the influx of 30 minute platinums made their way to the PS Store.

 

This game has good acting and you gain control as a young man trying to survive in a nuclear bunker. Played by an actor named Adam Brown.

 

I wouldn't pay full price for this. Wait for a sale, because the $19.99 price tag is just too much for the short experience this game offers.

Edited June 19, 2022 by AJ_Radio

[AJ_Radio]

Platinums #287: Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (September 16th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 2/10

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 10 - 12 Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: Plus Plus ( Complete the game on New Game+ )

 

 

This is for the PS4 version, not the PS5 version that released with the launch of the PS5.

 

I was being a bit harsh on this game last September. While not a bad game by Insomniac, Miles Morales falls quite a bit short of its predecessor, simply titled Marvel's Spider-Man.

 

Miles is by many accounts, an average Zoomer kid living in New York City. The initial Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker, is his idol and role model. When Peter has a job to do overseas, Miles Morales is left to do the dirty work as his own.

 

This game was developed on the same engine as Marvel's Spider-Man. It offers the same open world structure with the same side content and same side quests. The best thing Miles Morales has going for it is the transversal. Going around New York City is actually sort of fun. In a majority of open world games I end up fast traveling to places, either because the open world itself is far too big, or it's simply boring. New York, while nothing I haven't seen in my personal life, is quite a joy to jump from building to building. Having the option to run up to the top of the Empire State Building, then glide yourself down to the bottom only to swing across above the streets with your signature web abilities.... never gets old. On the PS4 version, loading times weren't quite fast enough to justify me traveling via fast travel, which opens up a loading screen. It was just as quick if not quicker to simply transverse around the New York open world map, which was certainly a breath of fresh air and a nice change of pace from other open world games.

 

Story wise, Miles Morales falls a bit short of Marvel's Spider-Man. It really and honestly doesn't come off as anything other than your typical Marvel movie (Marvel Cinematic Universe) fare. Now.... I'm quite vocal of Marvel because I absolutely hate their fanboys and I hate that many of their films are just cash cows that glorify CGI to ridiculous lengths. Insomniac does a fine job making you relate to the characters, including Miles mother and uncle. But, this is nothing we haven't already seen before. The mother is caring and concerned for Miles safety. His uncle had some bad blood with Miles deceased father, which has resulted in mother having a cold opinion on him. We've all seen this in movies before. The acting itself is fairly good, with Insomniac showcasing the usual banter and type of humor that is common in their Ratchet & Clank franchise. But the script and writing itself is nothing home to write about.

 

All in all, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a decent superhero game. It's definitely one of the easiest AAA games and certainly one of the easiest Sony exclusives I've played. Only New Game Plus gave me a couple trouble spots, namely with the stealth. It ain't nothing that the average gamer can't get past with a little practice. Certainly more than doable, and the stealth is quite alright.

 

Would I get a sequel if it comes out? I don't know. Not particularly happy with the direction Sony has been taking. Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised.

Edited June 19, 2022 by AJ_Radio

[AJ_Radio]

Platinums #288: Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition (September 25th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 6/10

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 25 - 30 Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: Morbid Curiosity ( Complete Campaign Mode On 'Morbid' )

 

 

Do you favor top down shoot em ups? Do you favor killing endless hordes of zombies? Then Dead Nation is the game for you.

 

This was one of a number of games that simply didn't appeal to me at the get go. Sometimes I will buy a game because it was offered for sale on the PlayStation Store, thinking 'oh this looks great, let me buy it and try to finish it'. Only to feel an immediate level of regret during the first 10 - 20 minutes of gameplay. But as the old saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Dead Nation is arguably one of those games, because initially I felt this was going to be my least favorite Housemarque game. Housemarque has consistently delivered for me. Everything from Super Stardust HD to Nex Machina has been pretty solid. The games run well for the consoles, and I imagine Returnal runs excellent for the PS5. If only I had a PS5 right now, but you can't have everything you want. You often have to work hard to earn that feeling of accomplishment and progress. Speaking of Dead Nation's platinum trophy, this definitely requires a bit of work and effort to obtain.

 

You can choose between a man or a woman as a playable character. The only difference is the appearance, they otherwise perform exactly the same. The little story Housemarque made for Dead Nation is fairly okay, regarding a zombie apocalypse in a world on the brink of total hopelessness. The world is bleak and depressing, as zombies rule supreme. You fight from area to area. I won't spoil the locations or where the story takes you, but there are a number of locations where you will be visiting as you fight thru thousands of zombies.

 

The levels were well designed. Dead Nation was a departure from the usual arcade shmup space fare Housemarque made that felt more like a tribute to old 1980s/1990s arcade shooter classics. Technically this is still a shmup, but the aesthetic and theme are definitely a lot different than what Housemarque made before. Not really original, but they really made you feel like a lone survivor. Graphics are fairly good, showing such details as zombies getting gored depending on the weapons you're using. Dead Nation is graphically satisfying in my opinion.

 

There are a number of weapons to gain here, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. As it's been several months since I last played, I can't recall all of them off the top of my head. Your starting weapon has infinite ammo, but is a bit weak. It isn't always weak, as you can access shops at checkpoints spread throughout the levels that will allow you to upgrade weapons. These shops can also allow you to buy supplies. This costs money, which is gained by killing zombies. You can also gain score multipliers for killing zombies in different ways if you're into that sort of thing. You have throwables such as flares, grenades, dynamite and mines. All things that greatly attract zombies, and on the harder difficulties I consider these throwables essentially a must. A couple later weapons include a grenade launcher like weapon, and a tesla cannon like weapon that cuts zombies down like butter. There's a great variety of weaponry here.

 

This doesn't stop here. There are select armor pieces which you can find in scattered chests throughout the levels. There are three different types of armor, with one emphasizing speed and another emphasizing strength if I recall correctly. You can change armor pieces by swapping them at the shops. You can use melee combat if zombies get too close to you. Cars are present in this game which also serve as a distraction to the zombies. A lot to talk about here, but trying to recall from memory on a game I did back in September last year isn't the easiest thing to do.

 

Collectibles are present in this game, but can be annoying to find on your own so a video guide on YouTube is probably necessary.

 

While this game offers co-op and may perhaps be more enjoyable in co-op, I can assure you that you can get the platinum trophy entirely by yourself, so long as you have two controllers to worth with.

 

The Dead Apocalypse Edition of Dead Nation is exclusive to the PS4 version of this game. It's everything that the PS3 and Vita versions had including the Road to Devastation DLC, which is required to do for the platinum. The DLC offers additional modes (Arcade and Endless) where you go thru several rounds to reach the end. This DLC had its own collectibles. If I recall from memory, both modes for this DLC are essentially a form of survival. You have to go thru several rounds where you try to fight and avoid hordes of zombies to reach the next checkpoint. A enjoyable challenge, but not as difficult as I was expecting.

 

Dead Nation offers something different from Housemarque. It's definitely not as fast paced as Resogun, Nex Machina or Super Stardust HD. Perhaps the closest game to compare Dead Nation with is Alienation, which I hear is decent. I'm really not the biggest fan of zombies in general, and overall Dead Nation falls a bit short of Resogun in terms of fun factor. However if you're wanting to play an arcade style shmup that deals with zombies, then Dead Nation gets the job done.

Edited June 19, 2022 by AJ_Radio

[FreshFromThaDeli]

Nice review on Dead Nation. I'm very excited to try it out myself with a friend through co op. I got the 100% on Resogun a few months ago so I'm back in the mood for some more Housemarque games ?

[AJ_Radio]

14 hours ago, FreshFromThaDeli said:

Nice review on Dead Nation. I'm very excited to try it out myself with a friend through co op. I got the 100% on Resogun a few months ago so I'm back in the mood for some more Housemarque games

It should be a lot of fun in co-op. I have bad internet so I couldn’t co-op. 
 

The game has a few grindy trophies.

[Copanele]

I know you don't have a lot of free time, regardless I am glad you return to your checklist from time to time  because you did complete some great games there!

Big congrats for the Max Payne 3 platinum, that truly is a game to brag about  I did hear many times how NYMHC is quite the challenge.

[AJ_Radio]

4 minutes ago, Copanele said:

I know you don't have a lot of free time, regardless I am glad you return to your checklist from time to time  because you did complete some great games there!

Big congrats for the Max Payne 3 platinum, that truly is a game to brag about  I did hear many times how NYMHC is quite the challenge.

 

I'm still pretty far behind in catching up to my latest game. I have a bunch of shorter games where I'll just give a brief review. Yakuza 0 will be when I start unloading those status updates. Sadly, no GIF files, just a bunch of actual pictures I took from my PS4. But you're going to like the review I made. I got over a dozen reviews waiting in the wings.

[Copanele]

2 minutes ago, AJ_Radio said:

 

I'm still pretty far behind in catching up to my latest game. I have a bunch of shorter games where I'll just give a brief review. Yakuza 0 will be when I start unloading those status updates. Sadly, no GIF files, just a bunch of actual pictures I took from my PS4. But you're going to like the review I made. I got over a dozen reviews waiting in the wings.

Not gonna lie, you really hyped me up about that yakuza 0 review, so I am really awaiting to read that one   the screenshots are better since the gifs tend to ...kinda break on this site, for some reason.

[AJ_Radio]

Platinums #289: Streets of Rage 4 (October 1st, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 4/10

Excitement Rating: 8.5/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 20+ Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: Maniac ( Get an S-Rank on all stages on Hard difficulty or higher )

 

 

Back in the 1990s I rented a game called Streets of Rage 3 from my local video rental store. It ended up being my most rented game. Being very young, and not quite able to make one's decisions on his own, I was practically hooked to Streets of Rage 3, same way I was with Sonic the Hedgehog 3. I loved the music, the characters, the setting, the Japanese executed gameplay. The big downside? It was VERY HARD. Turns out that the North American version of Streets of Rage 3 was actually censored, with a character named Ash completely taken out.

 

 

A complete homosexual. Pretty rad right? Utterly unacceptable by 90s gaming standards, even though we had Mortal Kombat and DOOM setting the bar for violent video games. The NA version clothed the female enemy fighters. They gave Blaze, the female playable character, a grey/white outfit instead of red. None of that mattered to me, because I was just a kid. What mattered to me was it was just too hard. I was never able to beat the game, only on Easy difficulty and I got lucky with the 'Bad' ending. The 'Good' ending was for players who were truly skilled and dedicated.

 

I played the Japanese original several years later along with Streets of Rage 1 and Streets of Rage 3. I was instantly a fan of the franchise.

 

The Streets of Rage remake that surfaced on the internet sometime in the mid - late 2000s was alright. It was rather sloppy, because it was a fan made game although they did a fine job combining SOR 1 thru SOR 3 all into one.

 

Fast forward to 2020, and the much awaited sequel releases. Was I a fan? Yes, but not enough to get me playing this game again and again.

 

Streets of Rage 4 does a number of things right. It maintains its roots in being a classic beat em up. You beat up enemies, you gain points, you find food and various items, you beat the boss, and you move into the next level. Basic, but proves to be a formula that works well.

 

I was utterly turned off with the new base game characters. Cherry is a poor substitute for either Adam or Skate. Her specialty is... rock music? I love good rock music as much as anybody else, but it didn't exactly translate well here. Cherry pulls out a guitar as one of her special moves. She is definitely more akin to Skate, yet lacks the cool appeal that Skate had. Floyd is... odd. He is supposed to be a powerhouse. Moves slow, and has robotic arms that can do serious damage to enemies. Unfortunately the developers didn't fine tune him enough as once I got hold of the DLC characters I basically left Cherry and Floyd behind. Max is fun to use. Estel is a far better female fighter. Shiva has the mystique like he did in the old Streets of Rage games, who can be very powerful if used right.

 

There's plenty to have fun with here. Getting massive combos and giving the bad guys some much needed justice never gets old. Really, in a lot of respects this is a throwback to the old Streets of Rage titles from decades ago. They even implemented some of the retro levels in various scenes (you access them by hitting arcade cabinets on some of the SOR4 levels) where you're going up against an array of baddies, just like you remembered. The ninja dudes who were annoying, spun around and wielded dangerous samurai swords? They are here. The 'Donovan' guys with sunglasses who used an uppercut to counter your aerial attack? They are here, both the modern version (SOR4) and the classic version (SOR2). A number of bosses from SOR1 to SOR3 also make an appearance if you so happen to have the Mr Nightmare DLC which contains Survival Mode. It's essentially a series of endless levels that are completely randomized, so you're getting everything from SOR1 to SOR4. Sadly I wasn't able to do much co-op due to bad internet, though I did a few runs in Survival with random people. Survival has various powerups and weapons. It was definitely fun, although very repetitive. Unlocking all the alternative moves for every character (every playable character in SOR1 thru SOR3 is here, and you have to play ALL of them) took a long time to get done.

 

A gripe I have with this game is the story mode felt a little too short. Like the past Streets of Rage games, SOR4 has a storyline. Mr X has passed on, and his children Mr and Ms Y control the Syndicate. You go throughout the city to confront them. The story was never a strong point, as the series was all about the addicting gameplay.

 

Without getting into too much more, this was a fairly good beat em up and a worthy sequel in the Streets of Rage franchise. It still doesn't beat Streets of Rage 2, and at this point in time I don't think anything will ever topple it. Music was mostly quite alright but some levels had tunes that were a little dull. Getting the S ranks for all the levels was probably the toughest thing in regards to the platinum. You're required to do multiple playthroughs with the playable characters which make may this game rather boring.

 

Streets of Rage is one where you're best playing with a real co-op partner alongside you on the couch, which we unfortunately don't have the luxury in having anymore. Online co-op is better than no co-op, and since I basically played by myself I had to find a couple distractions to keep me going.

 

The fourth game in the franchise, not a trailblazer or an utter masterpiece, but a game worth your time, if only to indulge in that nostalgia which is a bittersweet pill in our modern world.

Edited June 29, 2022 by AJ_Radio
grammar

[StewartBros]

Quite a good bunch of reviews you've written up there, AJ.

 

Max Payne 3 is one of those games that I looked into playing in the PS3 days, but ultimately never got around to.  I think I played a bit of the first Max game way back when, though I never took the time to really dive into the series.  #3 does seem to be regarded as one of the more prestigious PS3 platinums, so hats off to you for getting that one under your proverbial belt.

 

Miles Morales should be fun to play, though of course I would need to play Spider-Man first.  My 10-year-old nephew actually managed to plat Miles, so i need to follow suit one day!

It would be fun to play an open-world superhero game again.

 

I played Dead Nation back on PS3, and quite enjoyed it.  You're right in that (in my opinion, at least), it's more enjoyable in couch/online co-op than in single-player.  The throwable weapons are absolute lifesavers on the higher difficulties, and the same goes for shooting cars to distract the zombies long enough for you to charge up a power shot or throw a grenade and take out a whole crowd in one go.  It got pretty hairy at times, and I definitely got carried through the later levels by my co-op buddy, but I enjoyed it.  It was a nice change of pace, if nothing else.

 

Looking forward to seeing what you finish up next.

[AJ_Radio]

42 minutes ago, StewartBros said:

Max Payne 3 is one of those games that I looked into playing in the PS3 days, but ultimately never got around to.  I think I played a bit of the first Max game way back when, though I never took the time to really dive into the series.  #3 does seem to be regarded as one of the more prestigious PS3 platinums, so hats off to you for getting that one under your proverbial belt.

It’s a very hard platinum. Vanquish is the most skill intensive game I’ve done on the PS3, but in comparison it’s much shorter. 
 

For Max Payne 3, half of the number of trophies are multiplayer. Requires multiple people to get some of them. Discord was absolutely mandatory. Worst of all was the multiplayer grind for the levels. Took around 30 hours alone to finish, using a single player method detailed in the trophy guide. 
 

Then there’s single player and it’s no joke. I did six - eight playthroughs, including Normal New York Minute. A 60 second timer, with kills adding to that time. You fail, it’s back to the beginning. 
 

And the big granddaddy. New York Minute Hardcore. Beat the entire game in one sitting. No saves. No continues. No checkpoints. You die on Chapter 14, it’s back to Chapter 1. So you essentially lost three hours worth of gameplay. The average playthrough takes three to three and a half hours. 
 

I dedicated around 20 hours to New York Minute Hardcore. It’s one of the most stressful trophies that I earned. 
 

49 minutes ago, StewartBros said:

Miles Morales should be fun to play, though of course I would need to play Spider-Man first.  My 10-year-old nephew actually managed to plat Miles, so i need to follow suit one day!

It would be fun to play an open-world superhero game again.

I enjoyed the original Marvel’s Spider-Man a lot more. I don’t know. Not much seemed to click for me in Miles Morales. I enjoyed the relationship between Miles and his uncle. Some real bonding moments. You’ll find out when you play it, I won’t give out spoilers. 
 

50 minutes ago, StewartBros said:

I played Dead Nation back on PS3, and quite enjoyed it.  You're right in that (in my opinion, at least), it's more enjoyable in couch/online co-op than in single-player.  The throwable weapons are absolute lifesavers on the higher difficulties, and the same goes for shooting cars to distract the zombies long enough for you to charge up a power shot or throw a grenade and take out a whole crowd in one go.  It got pretty hairy at times, and I definitely got carried through the later levels by my co-op buddy, but I enjoyed it.  It was a nice change of pace, if nothing else.

Dead Nation is best played with friends, preferably couch co-op. Living out in the neck of the woods with poor internet, there’s only so much you can do right? That’s why I typically avoid games with multiplayer, and why I keep delaying Watch Dogs 1 & 2, even though I badly want to play them.

 

Looking forward to the other Housemarque games. I don’t have a PS5, I’m dead broke, so I can’t play Returnal. Game looks absolutely sick, and it looks to be actually a little challenging, unlike so many games these days that just hold your hand. 
 

53 minutes ago, StewartBros said:

Looking forward to seeing what you finish up next.

Really appreciate it. I look forward to your Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain review. There’s just no way to reduce the time under 120 to 150 hours. So much to do, and it’s probably the most time consuming game on my backlog.

[AJ_Radio]

Going to be a busy summer. Will be working and studying until September. 
 

Added a handful of games to the backlog. Tom Clancy and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood will be top priority. 
 

I may abandon Dante’s Inferno in regards to the 100 percent if that co-op trophy proves too troublesome.
 

Final Fantasy VII, Matterfall and Farming Simulator 19 (A PS Plus game from years ago that I glanced over) should be simple and straightforward.

Edited July 14, 2022 by AJ_Radio
grammar check

[AJ_Radio]

100% Game #32: Arcade Archives: Cyber-Lip

 

 

Difficulty: 1/10

Excitement Rating: 7/10

 

An obscure shmup from the bygone days of the arcades. Has the fashion statement of the 80s. High top fade? Check. Colorful pants? Check. Cool looking glasses? Check. An array of awesome guns? Check.

 

It ticks off the boxes for your 80s action movie. Robocop included.

 

Why can't Let's Players and livestreamers sound like this guy anymore?

 

Spoiler

 

 

100% Game #33: Arcade Archives: Thunder Cross

 

 

Difficulty: 1/10

Excitement Rating: 8/10

 

Remember way back when Konami kicked ass? The guys who are coming out with Arcade Archives trophy lists sure do.

 

Not too much I remember from this one, but if it's a Konami game, then you're know you're in for a fun time. Great music. Konami sure brought the kids to the arcades.

 

100% Game #34: Arcade Archives: X Multiply

 

 

Difficulty: 3/10

Excitement Rating: 6/10

 

Hands down the worst Arcade Archives game that I've played. It's probably good that this game more than likely never went out of Japan.

 

Weird mechanics, even though this is supposed to be a regular shmup. Died more times than I bothered to count. Even with save states and infinite lives and continues, X Multiply was a tough one, which should speak about the game itself. The trophy rarities definitely reflect on the difficulty.

 

Wouldn't recommend. Not the best shmup, not by a long shot.

[AJ_Radio]

Platinum #290: Mighty No 9 (October 16th, 2021)

 

 

Difficulty: 8/10

Excitement Rating: 4/10

Estimated Time to Platinum: 20+ Hours

 

Hardest Trophy: Brave the Gauntlet ( Complete all themes in single-player Challenge Mode )

 

 

This was a disaster of a Kickstarter campaign that thousands upon thousands of people contributed money to. Mighty No 9 also serves to show that money does not guarantee good results. Shovel Knight, released in 2014 on Steam, was done on a Kickstarter campaign that was literally a fraction of what Mighty No 9 was. The end game credits are also hilariously long, extending for hours because they decided to include every single backer who gave money to this game.

 

But was all that worth it?

 

No, no it wasn't.

 

To me, Mighty No 9 is a poor man's Mega Man at best. Tries to be like the superior product, but falls flat in every way. Old Hollywood enthusiasts would consider a vintage actress/model like Jayne Mansfield to be a poor man's Marilyn Monroe. That comparison is far better because it was two attractive looking women who were tops in an era of social change, the time of the Beatniks. The Rock n Roll generation that preceded the Hippie Era that defined the 60's. Mighty No 9 was poorly made and looks awful.

 

For those unfamiliar with Mega Man, you fight eight different robot masters, gain their powers, and ultimately play a bunch of levels where you take on Dr Wily himself. Mega Man X is a little different in that the robot masters are more anthropomorphic by design, and the main antagonist is something far different (and worse). Mighty No 9 takes the same concept as the classic Mega Man series, beating a bunch of robots where you gain their powers and move forward in the game.

 

When this game released in 2016 it generated a lot of bad reviews. In terms of gameplay, the difficulty spikes are inconsistent, but when they arrive they can be brutal. There are far too many instant death traps, sometimes not by your fault but because Mighty No 9 was such a poorly designed game. What really broke the game for me and what makes it too easy at times is the dash mechanic. Whereas with Mega Man where you use your iconic arm gun or a variant of the weapon you picked up from a defeated boss, in Mighty No 9 you simply "absorb" enemies with the dash mechanic. You have to whittle enemies down then dash into them to gain points. Yes, there are literally points in a Mega Man inspired game. If they didn't work out well in Mega Man 1, they certainly didn't work out for Mighty No 9. This is one of countless complaints I already have, and I don't feel like dissecting every single one of them because I simply don't think it's worth the trouble.

 

Navigating through the levels is a chore. Nothing feels rewarding, you just feel like you're being punished for the most trivial of mistakes. Level design is also inconsistent and poorly executed. There is a level where you have to beat a boss who uses a sniper. The problem is you have to hunt down this sniper guy, but if you fail then you are forced to drag yourself through a bunch more areas while avoiding his shots. The real kick in the ball sack is the fact that this level DOES NOT HAVE CHECKPOINTS. You heard that right. A level that will take several minutes if not 10 minutes to beat on the first try for most people only has a checkpoint when you finally reach the boss. But everything before that, no checkpoints at all, and there's a ton of obstacles you have to get past, including instant death lasers that are in some places.

 

Mighty No 9 puts too much emphasis on the perfectionist. The average person will more than likely give up in a fit of rage. I didn't pay a cent towards this game, because Mighty No 9 was a PS Plus game back in 2018. Furthermore, I did the PS4 version. The PS3 version, from what I tested out, has frequent frame rate drops, and serious performance issues.

 

And you need lots of skill and patience to earn this platinum. I'm not joking about this either. You have to beat the game on Hyper difficulty, which is hard on its own, do a speedrun from start to finish, and beat the game from start to finish without dying once. Yes, you heard it from me. Everything I said that was bad about Mighty No 9 you may take into account because rushing through this game on average takes around 50 to 60 minutes. Doesn't sound bad on its own, but Mighty No 9 is a chore and I already mentioned the instant death traps, which there are a lot of them. Challenge #36 in single player Challenge Mode is the challenge that will probably deter most people from earning this platinum, but if you're enough of a masochist and are willing to pull some hairs out of your head, then the platinum is doable.

 

I could of said more, but why bother? Mighty No 9 has been forgotten by the masses and I'm sure most Kickstarter backers have probably dropped this game years ago. With Shovel Knight you can have a good conversation about it being a good retro themed platformer that borrows heavily from Castlevania, Super Mario Bros 3 and the classic Mega Man games. With Dark Souls, you can still generate a decent amount of views just live streaming the game, because to me that game has aged like fine wine. But with Mighty No 9, it's a disaster of a game that shouldn't of been made. One of the only saving graces was the voices of the robots, they were cartoonish and humorous. The story was largely non-existent, nobody plays 2-D platformers for the story unless they're exceptionally well made, of which I can't think of any.

 

Don't buy this game, and if you just want to have fun, avoid this game altogether. You will thank me later.

Edited August 30, 2022 by AJ_Radio
Mighty No 9 is awful

[You]

Wow, it doesn't seem like a year ago since you were playing Shite-y No 9.

[AJ_Radio]

3 hours ago, enaysoft said:

Wow, it doesn't seem like a year ago since you were playing Shite-y No 9.

 

It just wasn't a good experience. It leaves a really bad first impression which is obvious by the really low trophy percentages. After the first couple trophies there is a severe dropoff.

[FreshFromThaDeli]

One good thing about MN9 is the music. The main theme has no business being as good as it is. 

[AJ_Radio]

100% Game #35: Horizon Chase Turbo

 

 

Difficulty: 3/10

Excitement Rating: 7/10

 

Until a few years ago, I had never heard of Ayrton Senna.

 

Basically, I have now lived a longer lifespan than Senna himself. Born on March 21st, 1960. Passed away on May 1st, 1994. I was born in July 8, 1988. Still healthy and feeling good. But as mother nature and real world often show us, life is not fair.

 

So why is this guy a legend? I was curious from the get go, and did some research including the all handy Wikipedia. He won a bunch of records, a number of which still stand even decades after his death. Generations of children in countries like Brazil, which I often think of as a second world country, have been inspired and awed by Senna's efforts.

 

I don't often like to dive back into games years after I finished them when DLC gets dropped. Often I forget about the game and I have to "relearn" it, and that's exactly what I had to do for Horizon Chase Turbo. Played it right when the COVID-19 pandemic started for us here in the United States. Was a fun indie game for what it was, but I cannot say it was my favorite overall, not by a long shot.

 

Thankfully the Senna events offered here are not difficult, just a little time consuming as you will have to spend a few hours getting all the trophies. This is a tribute to Ayrton Senna, a man who lived a short life, but whose memories and legacy lives on. The developers of Gran Turismo 6 also dedicated their DLC to Senna, and in contrast to this game, it is far more difficult. More details when I eventually cover that game on this thread and on my status update review.

 

Was this worth it? Depends on how much you like this game. As a completionist, it was annoying for me to have to reinstall the game on my PS4, but it was worth it for the history lesson alone.

 

Apparently people in the United States don't much care for F1 racing, let alone know a legend who died decades ago.

Edited September 6, 2022 by AJ_Radio