Bit Blaster XL (PC) (2016)

Overview: A 2D shooter that's reminiscent of old arcade games like Asteroid and Centipede.

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20170929:
After playing The Expendabros, I continued down the list of highly rated, yet small (w.r.t. download size) games on SteamDB which I had yet to play. This led me to check out Bit Blaster XL.

Visually reminds me of Asteroids.

Setup: I was using keyboard, but probably controller is more comfortable.

Steam Game Time: 9 minutes.

[20171003 Edit]

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Simple

Ship Selection

Neutral:
~ There were multiple ships but I only tried the one.

---

Summary:
I had more fun playing Bit Blaster XL than the run 'n' gun I had just played, The Expendabros (PC) (2014). However, I only played it for half the time.

Equipped with a powerful, but short-ranged sword.

With that being said, Bit Blaster XL and The Expendabros belong to different game genres. It'd be more fair to say that I enjoyed LUFTRAUSERS (PC) (2014) more than Bit Blaster XL.

---

20230724:
The game looks simple, but there's so much going on that it feels hard for me to learn. With that being said, I managed to unlock a ship.

Steam Game Time: 24 minutes (cumulative game time) / 15 minutes (session game time)

---

20230725 Comment:
Today I skimmed a power-up list guide which tiered the power-ups and also tiered the ships. The author's opinion was the v2 (the second ship) is harder than the v1.

---

Bit Blaster XL (PC) (2016)

Relevant Links:
Bit Blaster XL (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Bit Blaster XL (Steam Store Page)

The Expendabros (PC) (2014)

Overview: This run 'n' gun is a free-to-play crossover of video game Broforce and movie The Expendables 3.

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20170929:
I like using different methods of picking out games from my library. Taking a break from tackling my highest-valued games I haven't played, I decided to instead sort by highest rated on SteamDB (and for today, small enough to be quickly downloaded).* This led me to The Expendabros.

Explosions. Blood.

Setup: Keyboard

Steam Game Time: 17 minutes

*Earlier in the day, I had considered going through several random picks, which I haven't done in a while, but I later changed my mind.

[20170929][20171001 Edit]

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Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Action packed
+ Fun
+ Simple
+ A variety of characters

Neutral:
~ Probably fun with multiple players.
~ Is there a mode with unlimited lives?

Cons:
- While action packed, I was not compelled to play beyond 17 minutes.

---

Summary:
This game was fun. While playing it, I recognized it would be a fun game to speedrun, because one could generally run past most enemies and fire every now and then.* I, however, wasn't interested in playing more than twenty minutes, let alone put any time into speedrunning the game.

With that being said, I didn't grow up playing run 'n' gun video games and this game failed to convince me of why I should enjoy the genre.

Kill 'em before they land.

In the end, since this game is free-to-play, there's little to lose except perhaps fifteen minute to half an hour of your time.

*One Any% speedrun on YouTube ran under 6 minutes and utilized some pretty cool methods of getting through the levels.

---

The Expendabros (PC) (2014)

Wall jump/slide.

Relevant Links:
The Expendabros (Broforce Wiki)
The Expendabros (Steam Store Page)

Remember Me (PC) (2013)

Overview: In a future where memories are assets, the player takes control of Nilin, a memory hunter who was taken captive and had her memories erased.

Nilin

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20170924:
Two games ago (Tiny Barbarian DX), I noted that the remaining $29.99 retail-valued games I had yet to play (see footnote) were either unappealing or seemed to require a sufficient amount of time. Remember Me most certainly fell into the later category. As such, instead of watching a movie today, I decided to allocate time towards playing Remember Me.*

Setup: Bumped up various video settings. Errorist (normal difficulty).

Using S-Pressen.

Gameplay Log:
I played for 47 minutes before getting a phone call, during which time the game ran for 10 minutes before I decided to close it (and hope that not too much progress was lost). Fortunately, when I loaded the game back up, it started from a decently recent checkpoint.
I completed the third level, "Episode 2: Microwave".

Steam Game Time: 2.4 hours minus 10 minutes; (47 and 87 minutes)

*Intuitively, I felt I would enjoy Styx: Master of Shadows more than Remember Me, and hence would require more time, and so I decided to play Remember Me over Styx.

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Good story
+ Nice graphics; beautifully crafted world/scenery

Combo Lab

+ Attractive female protagonist
+ Interesting battle mechanism
+ Small details that help add to the action.

Neutral:
~ Quick time events; what do these symbols mean?*
~ Battle animation looks nice, but repetitive and a closer inspection shows strange clipping and/or contact issues.

Minor Con:
- Battle mechanism does evolve, but just a little slower than optimal.

Cons:
- Implements climbing mechanism but, in contrast to Prince of Persia (2008) or Assassin's Creed (2008), it feels superficial; in particular, there's generally an indicator that points out where Nilin is suppose to go
- There should have been one or two more combos added early on to keep the game fresh

Kid Xmas

*The symbols are listed in the controls page: Punch (fist), Kick, Dodge (clock-wise arrow).

---

Summary:
I had fun playing Remember Me, but I reached a point in the game where it began to feel repetitive and providing diminishing returns. While I might consider playing more of the game in the future, the more likely scenario is I just watch a speedrun of the game on YouTube.

I'd say it's unfortunate, because the game did a lot of things right, but failed to push a lot of gameplay elements to their potential. In particular, the fighting mechanics could have benefited thematically by incorporating some sort of memory attack.

Overall, this game fell shy of being a great video game. With that being said, it remains worthy of a recommendation - just keep your expectations low. In other words, you won't find the game as polished as Prince of Persia (2008), Assassin's Creed (2008), or Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009).

---

Remember Me (PC) (2013)

Hanging next to a Wanted Sign (for Nilin)

Relevant Links:
Remember Me (video game) (Wikipedia.org)
Remember Me (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Remember Me (Steam Store Page)

SPINTIRES (PC) (2014)

Overview: An off-road driving simulator.

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20170924: AM Hours
While watching the 2017 World Championship Play-In matches for League of Legends, I decided to play Spintires, another $29.99 valued game which I had yet to play (see footnote).

Trying to ford the river.

Setup: Keyboard.

Steam Game Time: 39 minutes

---

20170924: Afternoon
I wanted to give the game another try. As my last game save ended with tipping over, I restarted the game. Upon tipping over again, I went to seek help (on the internet) and none of the proposed solutions seemed to apply.

Constantly turning the wheel left and right seems to help.

Right. Whatever, I'll just restart just one more time and see what happens.

Tip: Automatic gear shifting makes the game much easier.

Tip: Turning the wheel left and right can help get the vehicle through muddy terrain.

Tip: Using all-wheel drive in certain situations is helpful. I assume it wastes more gas so I didn't use it all the time.

Using a different vehicle.

Unfortunately, I reached a point in the game where I went to collect some logs and couldn't figure out what the game wanted me to do. In particular, I wish there was a "less simulated" mode. After all, the game doesn't make me get out and pump my own gas, why should I have to actually load my own logs?

Steam Game Time: 41 minutes

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Great graphics
+ Realistic gameplay (physics-based)

Terrible way to teach a player how to play.

Cons:
- Difficult controls. Perhaps I should have used a controller.
- Extremely difficult to use camera.
- Poor gameplay instructions.

---

Summary:
The depth of the simulation in this game is potentially highly rewarding for any player willing to put the time in to explore and unravel its intricacies.

I don't really understand this log loading game mechanic.

Unfortunately, my personal preference on game design is that the exploration process can be organic if it's unessential to the gameplay (e.g., discovering a hidden power-up), or if it's obvious (e.g., discovering double-jump when a ledge is too high for a single jump). However, more complicated procedures should be explained or placed in a tutorial.

When applied to Spintires, I'm fine organically discovering the best ways to drive through mud, up a hill, or across a river, but I would like a broad explanation of gathering and delivering logs.

Making modifications to a vehicle.

In the end, as mentioned before, the detail and complexity of the game may satisfy some players, but I was left unsatisfied.

---

SPINTIRES (PC) (2014)

Relevant Links:
SPINTIRES Website
SPINTIRES (Wikipedia.org)
SPINTIRES (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
SPINTIRES (Steam Store Page)

Tiny Barbarian DX (PC) (2013)

Overview: Retro 2D platformer.

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20170922:
I continued my quest to play games I owned which currently have a retail value of $29.99 (see footnote). However, I'm approaching the point where I either find a game too unappealing to play, or so appealing that I'd prefer to play it when I have more time.

Slashing a basic enemy: a snake.

Setup: Windowed with default controls. Level: The Serpent Lord.

Steam Game Time: 24 minutes

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Smooth animations. For example, grabbing onto a ledge and pulling himself up.
+ Incorporates a lot of platforming elements

A Mount!

+ Introduces gameplay elements in an intuitive in-game manner
+ Simple controls: two buttons and arrow keys

Neutral:
~ Retro Art
~ Difficult, partially due to the restricted movement of a single jump and partially due to various enemies
~ Presents a continue timer (even through deaths), perhaps in place for speedrunners.

Flexing.

---

Summary:
Personally, if I'm going to put several hours into a retro 2D platformer reflecting the NES era, I'd choose to play a game more similar to Castlevania (NES) (1986).

If you enjoy the look and primary feel of a classic 2D platformer reflecting the NES era but with many of the modern platforming twists offered by modern games, Tiny Barbarian DX might be just the game for you.

---

Tiny Barbarian DX (PC) (2013)

The game starts with our "Tiny Barbarian" tied to a tree 

Relevant Links:
Tiny Barbarian DX Website
Tiny Barbarian DX (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Tiny Barbarian DX (Steam Store Page)

Tom Clancy's The Division (PC) (2016)

Overview: Open world game, action RPG, and third-person shooter. Play as a member of the Division and help recover New York City.

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My customized character.

20170916:
This game was free-to-play on Steam/Uplay and - despite the fact that overall and recent user reviews were only "Mixed" - I decided to give it a try.

Steam Game Time: 93 minutes

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Great graphics
+ Unlimited sprinting
+ Decent UI: clear direction on getting to target mission and general location of enemies (even when they're behind obstacles)

Animal control...

Minor Pro:
+ Decent character customization

Neutral:
~ There seems to be some crafting element; I didn't get far enough in the game to experience it

Minor Con:
- Uplay; launches from Steam but loads up Uplay...
- The first few missions could have been more instructive

Cons:
- Unintuitive cover fire system; I'd like to experience a more fluid cover system mechanic (with that being said I have a feeling this system is used in many games)
- Online; at one point I was experiencing lag... (actually, that's when I stopped playing)
- Story fails to get interesting at the appropriate pace
- Item pick-ups is annoying. Can't I just auto loot all?
- There doesn't seem to be a pause option. Is that because it's online?
- When I feel that the pistol offers a better experience than the submachine guns, there might be something wrong with the game
- When I stopped playing, the missions were the same: go to target location and eliminate enemies. (Lame.)

Faye Lau (right) and I (left) prepare to board the copter.

---

Summary:
Unfortunately, due to a noticeable, game-interrupting amount of lag, I decided to stop playing. If it weren't for the lag, I probably would have played for an extra one or two hours before stopping.

As it stands, I can only comment on the gameplay I experienced up to the point of quitting and it was mostly negative. In fact, the dominating pro of the game is it's detailed graphics. Among the list of cons I mentioned above, I would have most enjoyed a cleaner movement system (including going in and out of cover, or the option to smoothly transition between one cover point and the next).

Great scenery.

With that being said, I was definitely expecting a more shooter-oriented experience. Instead, I learned after quitting that the game focuses more on being an action RPG.

While putting myself in the right mindset with respect to game genre would have helped, I doubt it would have lifted my overall game experience from negative to positive. Rather, at best it would have shifted my experience strongly negative to moderately negative.

---

Tom Clancy's The Division (PC) (2016)

Relevant Links:
Tom Clancy's The Division (Ubisoft Website)
Tom Clancy's The Division (Wikipedia.org)
Tom Clancy's The Division (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Tom Clancy's The Division (Steam Store Page)

Dead by Daylight (PC) (2016)

Overview: An asymmetric 4 vs. 1 survival horror game where one player (Killer) in first-person view hunts four other players (Survivors) in third-person view. Survivors try to repair generators and escape before being caught.

Playing as a survivor, I got captured by the Killer

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20170917:
This game was free to play for several days and so I decided to give it a try. I first tried playing a match as the Killer (Trapper) and then I played a match as a survivor (William 'Bill' Overbeck).

I'm not sure if the game is actually balanced, or if the balance varies by character levels, but in my two matches, playing as the Killer felt easier than playing as a survivor.

Playing as the Killer, I spot a Survivor and prepare to chase him down.

Steam Game Time: 76 min

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Exciting

Neutral:
~ Seems repetitive; in a similar way that League of Legends is repetitive. Of course, perhaps in the same way I find League of Legends fun, so too could someone enjoy playing Dead by Daylight over and over.
~ Violent

Repairing an engine. Takes forever. Requires a good reaction to pass the skill checks.

Cons:
- Possibly imbalanced, favoring the Killer

---

Summary:
I only played two matches (one as The Killer and one as a Survivor) to get the gist of the game and if the game had been $5 I would have considered purchasing and playing more of it. However, as it stands, $10 (50% off the $20 retail price) was still too much for a game that I'd personally enjoy less than a plethora of other games. Consequently, I decided to limit my time investment into a game I wouldn't be owning any time soon.

Not bad for my first game as The Killer (only one Survivor managed to escape)

With that being said, I could easily imagine many players, especially fans of survival horrors, enjoying Dead by Daylight.

---

Dead by Daylight (PC) (2016)

Relevant Links:
Dead by Daylight Website
Dead by Daylight (Wikipedia.org)
Dead by Daylight (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Dead by Daylight (Steam Store Page)

Eternal Senia (PC) (2015)

Overview: A 2D action RPG.

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20170908:
At a Starbucks with slow internet, I had trouble getting work done and I only had a limited set of choices - most of which I had already tried playing. As such, I played Eternal Senia.

Senia

Setup: Gamepad and keyboard (not all the keys were mapped to the gamepad and I used the keyboard for those actions). I played the game for a while on a little window until I figured out how to change the window size through the in-game settings. It was not possible to change the window to fullscreen mode using Alt+F10.

Steam Game Time: 1.0 hours

---

Thoughts:
Neutral:
~ Simple gameplay. Focuses more on story.
~ So-so graphics

Senia faces Medusa

Cons:
- Story was a little weak.
- The game didn't appear to have (good) default gamepad options.

---

Summary:
No summary at this time.

---

Eternal Senia (PC) (2015)

Senia meets a Little Fairy

Relevant Links:
Eternal Senia (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
Eternal Senia (Steam Store Page)

StarCraft (PC) (1998)

Overview: A real-time strategy game set in space concerning the battle between three species: Protoss, Zerg, and Terran.

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20170906 AM:
I played a couple of the first few levels. The campaign levels helped me learn the basic gameplay elements.

Terran Buildings

It was appealing enough that I became interested in learning, but I didn't want to put an excessive amount of time into it.

Setup: Terran Campaign

---

20170906 Morning:
I replayed the first X missions and then played the next. During this (X+1)st mission I failed and had to play it again.

Boot Camp Log:
New Ground Units: Terran SCV, Terran Marine
New Basic Buildings: Terran Command Center (train SCVs), Terran Supply Depot (extend unit cap), Terran Refinery
New Game Mechanics: Building and Gathering

Jim Raynor (left) and Sarah Kerrigan (right)

Wasteland Log:
New Hero: Jim Raynor
New Basic Building: Terran Barracks (train combat units: Marine, Firebat, Ghost, Medic)
New Game Mechanics: Training Marines

Backwater Station Log:
New Ground Units: Terran Firebat
New Basic Buildings: Academy (skill upgrades), Engineering Bay (infantry upgrades), Bunker
New Game Mechanics: Offensive Combat and Upgrades

Terran Firebats destroy an enemy building.

Desperate Alliance Log:
New Ground Units: Terran Vulture
New Basic Buildings: Terran Missile Turret, Terran ComSat Station (scanning areas)
New Advanced Buildings: Terran Factory (train vehicle units: Vulture, Siege Tank, Goliath), Terran Machine Shop (vehicle upgrades)
New Game Mechanics: Defensive Combat

*I believe X is Backwater Station Log.

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Cutscenes/Story

"You are victorious!"

Neutral:
~ Learning curve
~ Older graphics
~ Builds an understanding of the background of StarCraft heroes in Heroes of the Storm

---

Summary:
While I possessed some of the skills required to play StarCraft via League of Legends (and two or three RTS games such as Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) back in the 90s), there was still a lot to learn. With that being said, the campaign mode eased me into the game at the perfect pace and I also enjoyed the story.

My coworkers and I defeat the enemy team (composed of two computer players).

In short, I was able to experience first-hand why StarCraft is a classic and would highly recommend the campaign mode to others who have not experienced the game themselves.

At the time of this post, the (original) game is available for free from Blizzard Entertainment whereas the remastered version with improved graphics and audio is $14.99. Personally I'm happy with the playing the original game for free.

---

StarCraft (PC) (1998)

Relevant Links:
StarCraft (video game) (Wikipedia.org)
StarCraft (Wikipedia.org)
StarCraft (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
StarCraft Wiki

The Darkness II (PC) (2012)

Overview: A mobster named Jackie Estacado is the host of the Darkness, an evil being which gives Jackie powers. Use the Darkness's tendrils to slash and grab enemies, tear open locked doors, and various other things. If the tendrils weren't evil, I'd take a pair.

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20170903:
Today I played The Darkness II, yet another game I hadn't played which cost $29.99 (see footnote).

Jackie with dual wielding guns, two tendrils, and a Darkling.

Setup: Difficulty: Mobster

Steam Game Time: 98 minutes

---

Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Decent story told through cutscenes
+ Good sound and voice work

Jackie's girlfriend Jenny.

Neutral:
~ Not exactly my kind of game. There's just so much going on and so many options. I don't really recognize most of the objects which I can utilize. I could, however, see how some players would absolutely enjoy the game mechanics
~ Dirty humor (peeing, farting)
~ Language

Con:
- The game fails at being impressive with it's violence
- Slashing requires holding down the middle mouse button and felt unintuitive to me
- The weakness to light game mechanic was annoying; what does this game think it is? Splinter Cell?

---

Summary:
While the game seemed promising, I had a hard time getting into it.

Furthermore, I recently played two games which share common themes and game mechanics with The Darkness II, while also being games I enjoy: Mafia II (PC) (2010) (mafia theme, shooting) and DmC: Devil May Cry (PC) (2013) (mix of shooting and slashing). As a result, I have a decreased incentive to play The Darkness II when I can just play more of either or both of those games.

Jackie Estacado

In the end, I was unable to enjoy gameplay mechanics, but players who enjoy violent games and shooters should consider The Darkness II.

Remark: It's rare for me to play a sequel without trying the rest of the series in order. In this case, I did not play The Darkness (2007).

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The Darkness II (PC) (2012)

Relevant Links:
The Darkness II Website
The Darkness II (Wikipedia.org)
The Darkness II (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
The Darkness II (Steam Store Page)