Arcesius' Pursuit of Completion

[Baker]

Everyone can make a 100th platinum suggestion? 

 

I won’t bother you again with Yakuza 0 or some JRPG but there is a game that I think could be awesome as your 100th.

 

- Very challenging game

- Cool trophy name

- Nice trophy picture

 

I’m talking about….

 

 

Ultimate God

 

 

 

[Arcesius]

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I've heard this game is okay...

 

 

(I'm nothing if not predictable, right? ?)

 

Hahaha I knew this one would come up ?

 

I actually almost bought it a year or so ago, when @Mori was going for it, since it looks awesome. But I have no experience with strategy games whatsoever, and own the XCOM 2 collection. Mori recommended to me to try XCOM first and see if I like the genre, before buying more games that I might not like, which I kinda agree with... 

 

And to be honest, XCOM already is quite intimidating ?

 

 

35 minutes ago, Baker121 said:

Everyone can make a 100th platinum suggestion? 

 

Of course! Suggestions are always welcome  

 

 

35 minutes ago, Baker121 said:

I’m talking about….

 

 

Ultimate God

 

This is definitely one of my top candidates to fill that spot. It's a bit unfortunate that it's not a proper platformer like its predecessor, but an auto-runner instead.. although it seems that most people that enjoyed the first one and already started playing the sequel are positively surprised that it's better than they expected. 

 

The Plat image and Name are of course very nice.. I'm tempted!   

[DrBloodmoney]

3 minutes ago, Arcesius said:

 

Hahaha I knew this one would come up 

 

I actually almost bought it a year or so ago, when @Mori was going for it, since it looks awesome. But I have no experience with strategy games whatsoever, and own the XCOM 2 collection. Mori recommended to me to try XCOM first and see if I like the genre, before buying more games that I might not like, which I kinda agree with... 

 

And to be honest, XCOM already is quite intimidating 

 

Haha - fair enough - I'll never stop harping on people about this game though - so just steel yourself! ?

 

BTW - I'm not an XCOM guy either - played some on PC - can see it's good, but not really my thing.

TBH, turn-based strategy it's not really my genre either - outside of some Civ 5 -  for some reason though Invisible Inc just pushes through that, and made me love it anyways ?

 

(If you do think about it - make sure you check your PS+ backlog before buying - you might actually own it already - it was a free game like 5 years ago)

[DrBloodmoney]

1 hour ago, Arcesius said:

I haven't played Dead Nation though... From the three I've completed, Matterfall was definitely the easiest one. I proposed to Ms. Arc to do Dead Nation together, but after needing almost 2 weeks for Trine 3, a game that is remarkably short, I'm not sure if she'd be up for it... And then a Zombie-themed game... Not sure ?

 

Ah - yeah - the Zombie thing is pretty much the most played-out aesthetic in videogame history - though Housemarque do certainly do it better than most.

 

Definitely a better game in Co-Op, though it's no slouch in single player...

 

By the way - I totally forgot to mention - we were talking about Alinneation a while back, and I remembered what it was that made me so angry I deleted the game (and the trophy list) almost immediately, without ever playing the game... (well, actually, Ms. Bloodmoney reminded me!) ... it was lack of couch co-op.

 

I was super excited for Aiennation - we both were - and even replayed through Dead Nation before it came out in anticipation of all the fun we'd be having with it.

 

I paid full price, got it downloaded, we both sat down, controllers in hand...

Then discovered it was online co-op only ?

 

That game got immediately deleted in a flurry of confused, disappointed rage!

 

I have actually heard rumblings that it later received a patch to patch in couch co-op, so may not be a factor now, though I haven't ever  gone back to check. I probably should, though our time to play couch co-op is rather more limited now, given that our additional needs son has extremely erratic sleeping patterns, and finding time when we are both awake, he is asleep,( and neither of us is so exhausted we just want to vegetate on the couch) is rare now ?

[Eagle]

6 hours ago, Arcesius said:

So, do you have any games that you think would be fitting as my 100th Plat milestone?  

 

Think about it. It would be the perfect irony - one of the most-known EZPZs as a milestone in a profile full of tough-as-nails URs. 

 

Jokes aside, though, maybe Demon's Souls, considering you do seem to be quite a FromSoft fan and you just got the PS5 anyway.

[Miles]

Super Rude Bear as #100 to give it some exposure, GO. It's even UR now again because people like hiding their accounts for some reason 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Miles

[Joe Dubz]

8 hours ago, Arcesius said:

P.S: And before you name Crypt.. That's just not gonna happen. I'd love to, in fact, when I started it I said that it was my goal to make it my 100th plat, but I don't have the time required to do it.  

Dammit you knew that one was coming right?!! haha I will have to put some thought into this and get back to you!! Wuppo is a pretty rare gem that would look nice as a milestone tho... I love the plat image for that one and it's sub-1%, which is why it could be a good choice! Although you need 7 more it appears before the milestone, so we have some time to figure it out anyway ?

 

@Baker121 I was actually very much considering making SMBF my 200th milestone, coincidentally enough ?

Edited July 15, 2021 by Joe Dubz

[Baker]

1 minute ago, Joe Dubz said:

 

@Baker121 I was actually very much considering making SMBF my 200th milestone, coincidentally enough 

I’m only 4 platinums away from 300. This could be a triple date ❤️.

[Joe Dubz]

1 minute ago, Baker121 said:

I’m only 4 platinums away from 300. This could be a triple date .

Hell yeah, I like the way you think!! I am def game if @Arcesius is too!

 

Sidenote: it would be fun because it would be plats 100, 200, and 300 respectively for the 3 of us!

Edited July 15, 2021 by Joe Dubz

[Copanele]

It's pretty tricky to pinpoint a worthy 100th milestone for you, but I'll take a shot 

 

Since you're at  92...crossed fingers that you will love Hades. It will be launched in August I think, at this moment that looks like a game that defines your taste in games.

Unless the trophy list is lame ?

Another option would be Nier Replicant, but I don't know how much you liked Automata. That's a very niche and tricky game. 

So far that's what I have in mind. All of the other games that I would have sworn you would have loved...you played them already. Tough decisions!

 

Injustice 2 lmao go for it

[Arcesius]

Ok I'm loving this... ? Instead of quoting all the posts (which would result in a huge wall of text here), let me address each of the suggestions. I may as well also reveal what the game is that I had personally in mind for the milestone. So, in no particular order:

 

 

 @Arcesius

Yes, Nuclear Throne is the game I was thinking about. A challenging rogue-like top-down shooter with a music-themed platinum image. Sub 1% as well, and a game that I have been ignoring for far too long! Also, would be one more game taken off the Bounty-list in our UR Cleanup event ?

 

 

 @Baker121, @Joe Dubz

This is the second game I had also though of. I truly enjoyed my time with Super Meat Boy, and had been waiting for what felt forever for this sequel to release. I'm a bit disappointed that it is an auto-runner, but it seems to be even more challenging that its predecessor... Would also be truly fun to make a 100/200/300 plat ladder out of this ?

 

 

 @Miles

Very good suggestion as well! A challenging and obscure 2D platformer... This pretty much screams my name, doesn't it? The only thing I don't like about this game a priori is the name ? Don't know if that should be enough of a reason to avoid making this a Milestone (illuminati?) Will definitely consider this one! 

 

 

 @Copanele

Yes! I definitely am super excited for Hades to finally hit the PS Store, and have already added it to my wishlist! As you mention, depends a bit on the trophy list... If it turns out to be crappy, I'll just play the game at some other point. But I still have 7 plats to earn before I hit the Milestone, so there is time to wait and see!   

 

 

 @Copanele

Now this is a game I had not considered... but it would be great! The sequel to one of my favorite gam... Yeah, can't keep a straight face ? This is Copa trolling me hard. In all honesty, I was commuting when I read your commend and burst out laughing ? Good one! 

 

 

 @Copanele

I liked Nier: Automata a lot. I thought it was different, I LOVED the soundtrack (again, not my usual style, but incredibly fitting to the game), and had overall a good time. I didn't like it enough to even consider playing Replicant though. I might eventually, but I think this is a nope for the Milestone. 

 

 

 @Eagle

Haha I actually considered just making a joke-milestone like this one ? But when I think about it, I think I would find it funny for some time, but eventually still regret that I played a game like this on my profile. 

 

 

 @Eagle

This would be interesting. The game that started it all, a game that I have been waiting to play ever since I fell in love with Bloodborne... A game remade to look and play better than it ever did, and the first PS5 game I really want to play... Interesting! 

 

 

 @DrBloodmoney

As mentioned previously, the game looks gorgeous, it seems to be challenging, and has been scientifically proven to be better than so many other games I adore... The only thing holding me back is that I have 0 experience with this genre, and if turns out that I just don't like these types of games, I really don't want one to be a milestone. 

 

 

Guys, thanks a lot for all of your suggestions! I still have a couple of games to finish before I have to make up my mind. I have also already written down which games I want to play before hitting 100 plats, and it looks like it's going to take a while to get there ?

[Baker]

Well my comment about the triple date was more of a joke. By the time you get to 100 I’ll be way past 300 ?. Good luck with the decision, I’m rooting for SMB Forever.

[Grotz99]

Should make a poll! It doesn't have to ultimately set you up for what game to play, but would be interesting to see people's votes. I personally think Super Meat Boy Forever would be a fun choice. Just watched the racing speed run from GDQ and it even made me get slightly interested in it.

 

If you end up getting Demons Souls on PS5, play some of it coop, had a lot of fun playing through my 2nd run with a friend and it makes for interesting PVP...

[Joe Dubz]

6 hours ago, Baker121 said:

Well my comment about the triple date was more of a joke. By the time you get to 100 I’ll be way past 300 . Good luck with the decision, I’m rooting for SMB Forever.

See that's the beauty of it... It doesn't matter when each of us does it, it will always be in the Milestones! Just a fun thought anyway, doesn't matter and I support @Arcesius and yourself no matter what you both decide on ? I for one am about 95% certain that will be my 200th plat, just saying!

[DrBloodmoney]

I’m starting to feel like the only person left who doesn’t plan milestones…? ?

 

If I’d known I was meant to put this much thought into it, I doubt I’d have Need for Speed Rivals and Sly 2 (two of the worst games I’ve played) as 2 of mine ?

[Rally-Vincent---]

I am voting for Nuclear Throne, just because I'm curious how much quicker than me you'll be getting it. It was so much fun even though I was the worst at it.

 

 

[Arcesius]

On 16.7.2021 at 2:26 PM, Baker121 said:

Well my comment about the triple date was more of a joke. By the time you get to 100 I’ll be way past 300 . Good luck with the decision, I’m rooting for SMB Forever.

 

Well, it depends how long you need for SMBF if you decide to tackle it as your #300 ?

 

 

On 16.7.2021 at 6:12 PM, Grotz99 said:

Should make a poll! It doesn't have to ultimately set you up for what game to play, but would be interesting to see people's votes. I personally think Super Meat Boy Forever would be a fun choice. Just watched the racing speed run from GDQ and it even made me get slightly interested in it.

 

Yeah I might put one up when I'm closer to the milestone just out of curiosity, but in the end I'll obviously be the one to decide what I play ? I still wanted to get opinions since there might have been a game that I forgot about that would fit nicely. 

 

 

22 hours ago, Joe Dubz said:

See that's the beauty of it... It doesn't matter when each of us does it, it will always be in the Milestones! Just a fun thought anyway, doesn't matter and I support @Arcesius and yourself no matter what you both decide on  I for one am about 95% certain that will be my 200th plat, just saying!

20 hours ago, Rally-Vincent--- said:

I am voting for Nuclear Throne, just because I'm curious how much quicker than me you'll be getting it. It was so much fun even though I was the worst at it.

 

Just for the record, I'll be playing both games anyways! I already own Nuclear Throne, and I have been in the mood to start it soon. And I'll eventually play SMBF as well  NT looks like a lot of fun, I'm expecting it to take me at least 200-250 hours, knowing that @Mori did it in 150 ? He's always faster than me. 

 

Though if I'm being totally honest, I'm a bit scared that I won't like it. I played Enter the Gungeon a little while ago, and luckily didn't pop a single trophy in the 1-2 hours that I played (was total coincidence). The game didn't click with me. I'm hoping that I won't feel the same with NT. 

 

 

21 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

I’m starting to feel like the only person left who doesn’t plan milestones… 

 

If I’d known I was meant to put this much thought into it, I doubt I’d have Need for Speed Rivals and Sly 2 (two of the worst games I’ve played) as 2 of mine 

 

Nah, this one is the first one I actually am putting some thought into. Without being able to customize them, I don't really care for most. Especially not the ones for achieving x amount of trophies... 

BUT, while I value a 100% completion more than a plat, reaching 100 plats is... well, given my limited time and the type of games I usually like to play, something that I was not expecting to happen, or even aiming for. 

 

So yeah, I don't usually plan them... I mean, most of my milestones are arbitrary... The only somewhat "planned" one is SMB as #40, just for additional motivation to get it done. 

Edited July 17, 2021 by Arcesius

[Joe Dubz]

1 hour ago, Arcesius said:

Just for the record, I'll be playing both games anyways! I already own Nuclear Throne, and I have been in the mood to start it soon. And I'll eventually play SMBF as well  NT looks like a lot of fun, I'm expecting it to take me at least 200-250 hours, knowing that @Mori did it in 150  He's always faster than me. 

 

Though if I'm being totally honest, I'm a bit scared that I won't like it. I played Enter the Gungeon a little while ago, and luckily didn't pop a single trophy in the 1-2 hours that I played (was total coincidence). The game didn't click with me. I'm hoping that I won't feel the same with NT.

I feel like NT is maybe a lighter version of EtG in some ways? It's def a hella grind tho, I still need to finish that some day. Pretty difficult, but you @Arcesius are no stranger to a good challenge!

 

 Nabbing those post-loop crowns is probably the hardest part IMO. I couldn't acquire a single one in the time I played it, because I could never get through a post-loop run. I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on it tho! 

[Mori]

Better play a game that you know you'll enjoy. You have been unsure about playing NT at all, I doubt it would be a good choice for the 100th milestone. I vote for SMB Forever if you want a challenging 100th or Hades if you want sth you most likely will enjoy (though I havent checked the achievements yet). If you can wait with Nier Replicant then this might be a good choice as well.

[Arcesius]

19 hours ago, Joe Dubz said:

I feel like NT is maybe a lighter version of EtG in some ways? It's def a hella grind tho, I still need to finish that some day. Pretty difficult, but you @Arcesius are no stranger to a good challenge!! 

 

Yeah so what I think I'd enjoy more in NT as compared to EtG is that it seems to be faster paced. In EtG, everything move so slowly... There was no 'umph' behind the shots, if you know what I mean. And long ass runs.

 

All these 'issues' don't seem to be present in NT... 

 

 

45 minutes ago, Mori said:

Better play a game that you know you'll enjoy. You have been unsure about playing NT at all, I doubt it would be a good choice for the 100th milestone. I vote for SMB Forever if you want a challenging 100th or Hades if you want sth you most likely will enjoy (though I havent checked the achievements yet). If you can wait with Nier Replicant then this might be a good choice as well.

 

Yeah Hades is definitely a strong contender for that milestone.

 

But I was thinking of playing NT as my 'side game' for sessions where I only have time for a run or two, while playing Demon's Souls  To make some progress without going all in, if you know what I mean...

 

If it turns out that I really like the game, I might make it a milestone. And if not... Well, that's going to be a frustrating one to complete then ?

[totakos1]

You have a great taste in games, so I would recommend Ghost of Tsushima incredible game and the platinum title “ living legend “ would fit well!

[Arcesius]

"Arc, you got a PS5! Man, I'm sure you cannot wait to play any of those amazing games in 4K, 120 FPS, virtually no loading times, and get everything out of your new console!"

 

Guys, do you know me at all? ?

 

 

Wuppo

 

 

 

The Pitch

A fluffy Wum thrown out of his accommodation for spilling ice-cream all over the floor goes on a journey to find a new home and a new adventure filled with excitement, quirky companions and tense boss fights! 

 

 

 

The Best

Eh... The concept? I'm honestly not exactly sure here. ? This is, without a doubt, one of the weirdest, cutest, most unique games I've played recently. It's even difficult to describe what Wuppo is in its core... It starts as a twin-stick shooter platformer, only to evolve into a much slower-paced exploration game filled with side-quests, and even adds a boss rush once the main game has been completed. 

 

But let's start with the first thing one notices when firing up this game... it's artstyle. This is Wuppo: 

 

 

 

I know. Definitely a game made for the PS5! 

 

Before I started Wuppo, I didn't know what to think of the artstyle. But once I found myself playing as that hairy ball, I really started appreciating how adorable and unique this game is. You know, as a mathematician I usually like "ordered structures". In Wuppo there is no such thing. No straight lines, no logical architecture, no giving a fuck about accuracy. But the game really commits to this idea, and so it becomes one of its best assets, and one that makes Wuppo stand out, that's for sure! 

 

Secondly, I also have to mention combat. The gameplay itself is very basic, a regular twin-stick shooter with two weapons and different upgrades available. But more specifically, I want to touch upon the boss fights. Man, each and every one of the bosses in this game is unique, fun, and creative. Granted, no boss except the very last one has more than 2-3 attacks at its disposal, which makes them pretty easy to learn, but their design is astounding. You will find a video below where all bosses are showcased, but let me show you what I mean: 

 

 

 

Overall, I didn't know what to expect going into this game. It turned out to be charming, fun and challenging, and I'm very glad that I gave it a chance!   

 

 

The Worst

There are mainly two things I want to mention here. A minor, yet frustrating design choice is to have your health displayed as a "bubble" (the heart you see in the above pictures) close to the character. This bubble follows you around, and will be very close to the character if you don't move too much. Aaaaand it can get in the way.. For example in a fight with multiple enemies, it can cover an enemy entirely, which is really inconvenient. It's an odd design choice and one that I often found irritating during my time with Wuppo. 

 

However, the more serious issue is the pacing in the second half of the game. Alright, so I mentioned above that Wuppo combines multiple aspects from different genres into one single game. It starts off great, as a somewhat fast-paced platformer with nice gunplay. That is, until you embark on your journey to go to Popo City and need to take the train... Above the train station there is an amusement park, and already there the game forces you to wait in a queue if you want to go on any of the rides. That's totally fine, and the waiting time is usually no longer than 1-2 minutes. Since there is no other reason to enjoy those rides other than earning "happiness" (increasing your max health), I didn't really care. 

Not so in the train station. 

 

There is one single train commuting between your starting location (Wumhouse) and Popo City and if you miss the train... Yep. The game makes you wait. And it makes you wait a loooong time. Up to 10 minutes real time. I'm not kidding! The train runs on an in-game schedule, and there is absolutely no way to speed things up. 

 

Listen, I'm a patient man. At least I like to think I am. But in this specific case I truly felt like the game was not respecting my time. This problem continues in Popo City itself, where trams connecting the different parts of the city also run on a schedule. The waiting times are shorter here, but they are still very real. You can walk, sure.. and risk being run over a tram. ?

 

The pacing is also all over the place once you reach Popo City. One of your main objectives in that city is to earn "credits" to advance the story, and you can earn those credits by repeatedly deliver newspapers, or participate in discussions in City Hall, work in the Energy Factory, etc... It's a weird section that, while unique, really brings the game down a bit. 

 

 

The Challenge

This is a sub-1% game with only 17 achievers (at the time of writing), and while not the hardest game to complete, there is still a particular challenge to talk about... 

 

First of all, you need to beat the game on the hardest difficulty, Insane. If you don't mind doing two playthroughs, then you won't have any trouble finishing one of them on Insane, since you can just focus on the main objectives. Personally I opted for playing on Insane from the start and doing one playthrough only, which meant learning all of the bosses' patterns while dying in 2-3 hits. This wasen't the issue though... There is a secret boss, Zwepel, that you can fight after you finish the game. If you do two playthroughs, you can fight this guy on a lower difficulty and have an easy time. But if you only do one iIsane playthrough... Well then you have to beat this boss on Insane. And holy shit was it a pain in the ass ? You die in one hit, there are projectiles all over the screen, the controls are floaty (you are in a vacuum), ... Definitely no joke!

 

The other challenge worth mentioning is found in the Boss Rush mode unlocked after beating the story. You see, on the Steam version of the game, you can select the difficulty you want to play the Boss Rush on. On Playstation... you are locked into Hard difficulty. 

 

The hardest challenge in the game is a low% Boss Rush, that is with no weapon upgrades and only one healing item for the entirety of the run. While not as daunting as Hollow Knight's Pantheon 5 (which now has me wonder where the rarity in that game would sit at if there was no exploit), this run still takes some practice. In contrast to Hollow Knight, some fights are much more chaotic here, and taking damage is unavoidable. And no, you cannot "git gud" and not take any damage. It's literally unavoidable. 

 

Here is my successful attempt at Boss Run: Impossible. This was my first video captured with the PS5, and what I didn't know is that the Dual Sense Mic are on by default... So you hear me clear my throat a couple of times, and also sigh "gschafft" (done) once the run is over ?

 

 

 

 

 

@Joe Dubz I'm tagging you here since I promised to share my video... Good luck on your attempts, you got this!   

 

 

I'm going on a vacation starting Monday, and have decided to not start anything new before leaving... So it's going to be a couple of days before I start.. The Metronomicon? Yeah, probably the game I'm going with next  

Edited July 23, 2021 by Arcesius

[Baker]

17 minutes ago, Arcesius said:

 

I'm going on a vacation starting Monday, and have decided to not start anything new before leaving... So it's going to be a couple of days before I start.. The Metronomicon? Yeah, probably the game I'm going with next  

I couldn’t resist grabbing The Metronomicon too.
 

A quick recap of what I thought: ‘I know Arcesius bought it, can this game be done in coop? It can! Damn it! Only couch coop again’ ?

 

One day..

Edited July 23, 2021 by Baker121

[DrBloodmoney]

Nice write up man ?- and congrats!

 

Have to admit, definitely not my kind of game, and if anything, after reading your write up, I am more sure than ever of that ?, but a game with so few players having completed it needs a good write up somewhere on the site, so you're doing Gods work?

[Arcesius]

1 hour ago, Baker121 said:

I couldn’t resist grabbing The Metronomicon too.
 

A quick recap of what I thought: ‘I know Arcesius bought it, can this game be done in coop? It can! Damn it! Only couch coop again’

 

One day..

 

Hahaha of course ? What is it with games implementing couch-coop only... Hopefully the game is fun though, looks unique for sure! 

 

But yeah, as soon as Resogun goes on sale, if you are still up for it, I'm down  

 

 

59 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Nice write up man - and congrats!

 

Have to admit, definitely not my kind of game, and if anything, after reading your write up, I am more sure than ever of that , but a game with so few players having completed it needs a good write up somewhere on the site, so you're doing Gods work

 

Thanks a lot! 

 

Hmm... Not even sure who's type of game this is ? Personally I had a lot of fun with it, but while I'm going to pre-order Silksong (Hollow Knight's sequel) as soon as possible, I don't think I'm in a hurry to play Wuppo 2 if there ever is such a game. It's hard to recommend this one honestly. Since it combines so many gameplay elements there's definitely something for everyone here.