Kraven

This weekend I am finally wrapping up the platinum trophy for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’ve completed every optional boss, all thirty-three levels of the Endless Tower, and all additional side content, so all I have left to do is reach level 99. I’m six levels away, so I’m just grinding.

Even now, after essentially 100%’ing the game, I’m even more enamored with it than I was originally. I’m having a total blast using pictos and creating new unique builds, and seeing how far I can push my damage output. I’ve beaten some end-game bosses with one hit, and it’s very satisfying.

This game is without a doubt my GOTY. It has been expertly paced from start to finish. The story is deep and impactful, every character is fully developed and interesting, exploration is rewarding, and it’s a masterclass in roleplaying. Typically, the longer you play a game the more you begin to see its flaws, but not here - I might just consider it the perfect JRPG.

Once I wrap that up, I’ll officially start DOOM: The Dark Ages. I’ve been attempting to go into it as blind as possible, but I’ve read a few reviews that say it plays similarly to the 2016 reboot. I hope this is true because as much as I love Eternal and its relentless nature, I liked the slower pace - well, slower for DOOM standards - and the weapons better.

@deadmaker Yeah, I’d recommend a stronger console to play this game. While it is great on the Switch, there are too many compromises. I feel like you’d get a better experience on PlayStation or Xbox. That said, I played on PS and double dipped when it came out on Switch, and it was a great experience on both!

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

I have racked up 200 hours in this game - an amount of time I’ve never spent on a single game in a continual manner without getting burned out. In terms of story, I’m roughly fifty percent through the main campaign. My goal is to have every side quest and trophy mopped up that doesn’t relate to main missions before I push onward to the end of the game.

In the last ten hours, my Henry has crawled in manure to search for a man, has built pyramids out of human remains, been so drunk that someone stole his shoes in the middle of the town square, helped a young man from being bullied by villagers, and went down to the depths of hell (almost literally) to stop demons from coming out of the pitts and killing livestock. It resulted in me in losing my entire clothing and weapons, and killing a man who lost his mind to darkness and his mission.

If that doesn’t sound appealing to you, just know that I’m considered to be the Dark Lord who has the nickname Sourdough. I’m quite literally the epitome of a Jack of all Trades. I’m not to be trifled with.

This weekend I’ll mainly be focusing on Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. I never played the first entry, but Warhorse posted a ten minute summary on their YouTube channel and it really helped me get a grasp on the story.

So far, I’m a couple of hours in, but I’m very impressed. The writing is absolutely top-notch, with incredible voice acting and animations that bring the characters to life. The cutscenes themselves are high quality. I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a video game before, but it has a movie-ish quality to it, from its cinematography and direction.

It might be the most immersive game I’ve ever played, with incredible RPG mechanics and dialogue choices that genuinely make me pause and think about my responses. I really can’t wait to dive deeper into this medieval adventure.

On a side note, earlier this week I finished Unicorn Overlord and got the platinum trophy. What a fantastic game, and easily my favorite Vanillaware title to date. I can’t wait to see what kind of game they follow up with.

I’ve also been on an independent horror kick. I saw through Steam that a game called Fears to Fathom: Ironbark Lookout got positive reviews. The trailer seemed interesting so I picked it up. In my opinion, it was quite mediocre. Tonally, the game was great, and it featured great atmosphere, but everything else was subpar. And the way the narrative unfolds seems to be directly ripped out of a “Let’s Not Meet” Reddit story. Nonetheless, I got the platinum and immediately uninstalled it.

I’ll also be chipping away at the Mafia Definitive Edition platinum. I’m playing on classic difficulty and currently on chapter 12/20. It’s been fantastic, but I strongly dislike the collectible system in the game. Technically, the game is considered “open world”, but you are never incentivized to explore your surroundings because the main story is structured very linearly. A lot of collectibles are story related and hard to miss, but some are inexplicably in obscure places that don’t make sense in its design, while subsequently having a “free roam” mode to have more hidden collectibles. I think it’s poorly designed and not implemented in a way that is logically sound.

This weekend I’m still playing Unicorn Overlord, and still completely enamored with it. I think I’m roughly 75% of the way to completion. My goal is to wrap up the platinum trophy within the next couple of days. The game does have you grind a bit, but thankfully you can “skip” battles — not experiencing the animations and battle scenes — and still get experience points. It helps save a ton of time because some of the battles can be time consuming, lasting anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile, I’ve set a New Year gaming resolution for myself (and trying to consistent with it) - browse the PSN, or any other digital store front where I play my games, and try out new games regardless of word of mouth or not. Doing so, I came across a game called Bloodwash. It’s a retro, PS1-era first person horror game. It’s essentially a video game form of a slasher film. I found it to be a pretty solid two hour experience and a nice palate cleanser. Moreover, I even got the platinum trophy, which I hadn’t expected.

This weekend I’ll be obsessively playing Unicorn Overlord. I bought it when it first came out and didn’t enjoy it because I wasn’t used to not actively controlling my party members in combat situations. However, the more I played the more I understood how the game operates.

It’s the sub stories within the main narrative that really gripped me, such as The Tormented Helm. It was excellent, and provided a very foreboding scene, along with great moment-to-moment character interactions and fun battle encounter. While the main story is good, it isn’t great. Essentially, it’s serviceable.

Furthermore, tinkering with your party compositions, equipment, and wandering the world - everything has a purpose. Side quests are meaningful, from a monetary perspective, along with characters being added to your party, and backstories. You get to learn more history between characters and it all feels organic. Additionally, the game is continually rewarding. There is a sense of progression even from the monotonous tasks, and creates a gameplay loop that makes you want to complete everything you stumble across.

The art style is some of the very best I’ve ever seen. Each backdrop is brimming with unique locales, from vibrant and lush forests, to shining palaces, and decrepit ruins. If there is fog or a sandstorm it is visible within the battlefield. The animations between combat, conversation and traversal are gorgeous, and with the game being almost entirely voice acted, it feels as if the stakes are higher and more emotion is seeped through to the characters.

All of that said, the game is quite overwhelming. The more you acquire party members, the more it can feel daunting when changing out equipment, leveling up certain characters that aren’t getting enough attention, unlocking more grid-base tiles and spaces on them. But that’s also the fun of it — figuring things out. And damn if it’s not satisfying when you discover a good composition of party members.

Unicorn Overlord is just incredible. It has its hooks in me. I’m thinking about this game while I’m at work, thinking of new party stratagems, managing my units with certain equipment, how I want their combat to play out with certain conditions. I’m head over heels for this game, and I don’t know why I had any doubt to begin with considering Vanillaware’s pedigree.

On a side note: I also got the platinum in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl and Stellar Blade in the last couple of weeks.

This weekend I’ll be focusing on a NG+ run in Stellar Blade. I’m halfway through and plan on wrapping up the platinum trophy. I forgot how brilliant this game is, from its soundtrack, combat, and ambience. Meanwhile, earlier this week I completed Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl and got the platinum for that. It’s an achievement I’m quite proud of, and after playing the first game — recently starting my entry into this franchise with Stalker 2 — I can confidently say it has become one of my favorite franchises.

Edit / Update: I just got the platinum for Stellar Blade. Now I’m unsure what to play next.

Man, I want to love the Xbox brand again. The original Xbox and the 360 had games that created ever lasting memories for me. Until November of 2024, I hadn’t turned on my Series X since September 2023, but Stalker 2 and Indiana Jones hooked me. And just when I started feeling that nostalgic feeling, there is always some form of news that makes me essentially feel like I’m playing on a meaningless console. For me, there is no real incentive to be part of this ecosystem.

@awp69 I’m so glad I’m not the only one that realizes that this month is stacked. Sniper Elite Resistance alone makes this a great month for me personally.

This weekend I’m being consumed by anomalies in Stalker 2. I’m shocked I’m still playing this game after 105 hours; and yet I cant see myself stopping anytime soon. There is so much to explore and discover, and it’s the most immersed in a game I’ve been in years.

Spending more time and getting the most out of my games. This was my resolution last year and it worked. I got 12 platinum trophies on the PS5 (I didn’t play Xbox at all in 2024 until late November). I plan on doing the same, particularly with my backlog of Xbox games and their upcoming releases.

I would also like to avoid the constant negativity around gaming in general. I don’t care about what platform is better, or if a game didn’t make its sale goal, therefore it’s “trash”. Some of my favorite games released last year got negative publicity, sometimes from critics and sometimes from audiences. I just want to enjoy games, whether that is on Xbox, PS5 or Switch, and make better informed decisions by trying a game I’m interested in and not letting the public sway my opinion (unless it’s obvious).

Sniper Elite: Resistance is easily my most anticipated game in a long time. I absolutely love the franchise and will praise the fifth entry as one of the best stealth games ever made.

This weekend I’m combating the Swamps and Bloodsuckers in Stalker 2.

Also on the docket: Persona 3 Reload.

When you look at it in hindsight, Xbox had a pretty solid year in terms of games on Game Pass. I’m still playing Stalker 2 right now, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. It’s brilliant.

It’s great to see Indy take the number one spot considering the review it received here. I would personally put it number one or two — a competition between that and Stalker 2. I need to properly start Metaphor to see where I would rank it. I’m also surprised by the lack of Persona 3 Reload.

This game is a must play, and is easily one of the best FPS campaigns in the last decade.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is my GOTY and an easy 10/10 for me personally. It ignited a level of personal creativity that no other game has really done before. So, on a personal level, it’s one of my all time favorite games.

My interest is definitely piqued. I loved Resistance and got the platinum trophy for it. I thought they handled the source material brilliantly and would like to see what else they can do with the franchise. I’m curious about the 2D aspect in the title.

I picked up the Mafia trilogy and Metro Saga bundle. They were a really good price, and solid games to boot.

This weekend I’m out of town on a Christmas vacation with my wife and daughter. However, yesterday, before heading out, I finished Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The second to last word should be “fantastic” instead of “great” because that’s what it is; and is easily a GOTY contender.

Unfortunately, a couple of achievements are bugged for me, preventing me from obtaining 1000/1000 gamer-score. I have 42/45 achievements. I hope that will get patched at some point.

In the meantime, I plan on hopping back into my save of Stalker 2. I was enjoying it immensely but put it on hold for Indiana Jones. To my understanding, I made the right decision due to the latest patch it received. I wasn’t experiencing any issues prior to setting it aside, so knowing it only got better is wonderful news. GSC Game World is cooking right now and firing on all cylinders.

Man, these guys are cooking. I’m so glad to see their hard work and passion pay off despite tumultuous situations they have been in.

They should have also focused more on combat oriented sections of the game, and not allowed a five hour campaign with hardly any interaction to be their prime flagship console seller. The graphics and audio design are great, but the core gameplay mechanics are not, and ultimately a game must be a game and must be fun to play. I liked the game personally, but it was lacking in many areas. And it’s not as if they won’t release the game on PlaySation eventually, but that isn’t going to turn over a lot of money (I believe).

Maybe this will be like Hi-Fi Rush and be surprise dropped in January. Regardless, it looks really cool and unique. I’ll be giving it a try whenever it comes out.

There will never, or at least not any time soon, be a first party game on Xbox. As for third or second party, I can easily see Stellar Blade and Final Fantasy making the jump to Xbox, which would be very beneficial for Microsoft and Square Enix.

Sniper Elite Resistance is my highly anticipated game for the start of next year. SE5 is one of my all time favorite (stealth) games, and I’m always looking for an excuse to jump back into this type of world, even if it will be more of the same.

This weekend I’m doing some adventuring in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I’m about to wrap up the Gizeh area and travel to parts unknown. It’s been a blast!

My top 5 are:

1) Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
2) Dragon’s Dogma 2
3) Stalker 2
4) Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
5) Space Marine 2

Honorable mention: Death Stranding: Director’s Cut.

Games I haven’t played yet include Shadow of the Erdtree, Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor (at least in its entirety), Hellblade 2, System Shock Remake (I just bought it during the sale for $20.00), and Dragon Quest 3 Remake.

This is easily one of my most anticipated games. I grew up with this franchise (the 2D side scroller), and bought the reboot day one when it released on the OG Xbox. This looks like it might reach the same heights as the other games. I can’t wait!

I don’t really see an issue personally. I understand that Microsoft bought Bethesda and people want their games to be exclusive, but we should have known that this isn’t going to happen — Microsoft has changed gears substantially. With that said, although the PlayStation is my main platform for gaming, I’ll still probably play this game on the Xbox due to it being on Game Pass day one. Ultimately, the question you have to ask yourself is this: Where do you want to play your games? There is no wrong answer (unless it’s an actual exclusive).

I cannot wait for this. The first game was awesome. Speaking of, I need to do a replay and actually tackle the DLC since I’ve yet to play it.

I’m not crying; you’re crying. I’m so happy.

Is that screenshot above supposed to be Post Malone? If not, it looks just like him; LOL.

I ‘m glad to see this turned out well! I’ll definitely be picking it up on Xbox tomorrow. I owned the originals back in the day as a kid but never actually played them, so I’m excited to see what the hype is all about.

It sounds like a great game and I’ll definitely be checking it out.

Legacy of Kain and Indiana Jones for me. I started playing the latter already, and it’s been wonderful.

I’m playing Stalker 2 and it is amazing. I restarted two times because I felt as if I wasn’t getting a good grasp on how the game should be played, and I was making poor decisions. After watching a few basic tutorials on inventory management and learning the ropes from my initial playthroughs, I feel as if I understand how the game works. It’s such an incredible experience, and one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played. I know this might sound blasphemous, but it really has scratched that Fallout RPG itch.

The open world also heavily reminds me of Red Dead Redemption 2. There is wildlife out and about (mutants in this case) and people going about their lives. You don’t always know if they are good guys or enemies. But patience is a virtue in that regard. And how you stumble upon side quests organically by exploring and finding new locations to unearth, it has that same feeling of immersion.

It’s just a damn good game.

I can’t imagine the stress it took on the people working on this game mentally and emotionally. I think they delivered a fantastic products despite the rocky launch. Their haste to bring constant updates and patches have been great. Right now, this game plays very well. It’s such a great game.

I’m glad Xbox has a W on their hands. I can’t wait to play it if I can pull myself away from Stalker 2. I grew up with Indiana Jones, though, so I’m tempted to put Stalker aside for a bit. This seems to be the perfect Christmas adventure.

@MeanBeanEgg This is the issue with a lot of people. Perhaps they shouldn’t consider reviews as the opinions of an entire company - rather, they should read reviews from people they trust. There are some great writers at IGN, and some reviewers are genuinely great at their job.

@YeyoFairy Look at other websites - they are praising the game. A lot. This website is the outlier, which is fair, but not the only review out there. I think Xbox got a BIG W this time around.

I’ve seen nothing but 5/5’s or 9/10’s other than this site. To each their own — I can’t wait for this one!

@Millionski I agree that MachineGames and other studios on Microsoft’s are on their salary and get paid to make their games. That is a given. With that said, it’s on the consumer to play the game(s) these developers make.

I think there is a management issue at Microsoft and their studios, thus creating good, sometimes great, but sometimes bad games. Redfall is a prime example, as you mentioned. To me, however, I believe the metric still revolves around sales — a studio has to recoup the money they spent developing a game. And we don’t know how much Microsoft is paying the developers to have their game on Game Pass day one; those numbers are hardly shared with the public. I do agree that you are supporting them (and I am too) by subscribing to Game Pass and paying x-amount of dollars a month, but I also think paying $20.00 a month rather than purchasing a game outright (and still subscribing to GP) is hurting game development.

Is this Microsoft’s fault? Yes, to an extent, since they are pushing for Game Pass subscribers, which I think of you look at how it is doing it’s not sustainable, which is why they want GP everywhere (and why they are willing to let go of their exclusives to be on other consoles). That is their mistake.

If you look at Sony, they have a good catalog of classic games on their service plan, but they also make high quality games that sell well. That is their bread and butter. But that’s also because their games take a lot of money to make which is also by us, consumers, helping them out to make it. That’s why when Sony put Horizon Forbidden West on their subscription day one as a test the sales trickled down a bit. And I think it shows that if you make a good game people will be willing to spend the money on it - just look at many Sony games and even a few others that aren’t exclusive (Black Myth Wukong).

I don’t know - we all have personal opinions on things and you may very well be correct. I just feel like buying games helps the developer more than subscribing to a subscription and not knowing how much money the development team made from their owner. And this ultimately helps with future projects and quality. That’s not to say it’ll be good, but it certainly helps. 🤷‍♂️

@Medic_alert It’s not really last minute, though. The game doesn’t actually release until the 9th (excluding early access), so I’d say four days prior is a pretty solid window.

I do hope people buy this game if it reviews well. Yes, having Game Pass and playing it there is great, but speaking with your wallet and supporting the developer (if the game is good, but even sometimes otherwise) is the best way to go. This is one of the main reasons why I think Xbox has had a few poor quality exclusives. I hope this game turns out well because I’m genuinely excited and love MachineGames.

I haven’t played my XSX since September of 2023. I recently turned it on when Stalker 2 released and it’s been the main game I’ve been playing earnestly (and it’s fantastic). I have 12 achievements for it so far (out of 50). I’m really looking forward to playing more of that, and Indiana Jones when it releases soon!

This game really is something special even with the bugs. I’m glad the developer is working with urgency in order to fix them, but I have gotta say - I am impressed with this game quite a bit. I do have a few critiques, which I shared in a thread I created earlier, but it doesn’t diminish the overall package of this game.

There’s not much for me on this list other than Indiana Jones. That’s okay, though - my backlog is insane.

I’ve been using Hellblade 2’s theme due to its minimalistic design, but I might switch over for this. It looks great!

This looks fantastic, and I trust MachineGames to deliver. The X/S needs a strong W—not just a good to great game, but a fantastic one.

@gollumb82 Same here. It is one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played. The only “bug” I’ve actually encountered is when I die and respawn, my gun, although equipped, doesn’t appear for a brief second. Other than that, I haven’t had any issues. And if I did, they were probably anomalies 😉