2025 Gaming Plans.

[SugarPlumFairy]

NASCAR 25 sounds exciting, but yeah, releasing it closer to Daytona would make way more sense! MLB The Show 25 and EA CFB 26 are definitely on my radar too. I'm curious to see what other big non-sports titles drop in 2025. Hopefully, we get some cool surprises!

[mike24forever]

Quote: Originally Posted by KSUowls

Have you come up with a good system to identify true "backlog" items? I too have more games than I will probably ever play, I blame Steam, and I definitely get the sense of guilt for not playing them. For many of those games I kind of have a vague sense of "I'll get to it eventually". Some others carry a more concrete desire to play, but even then it all is a disorganized mess.

Yes, I have. I call them my "other" games. It doesn't hurt my head as much as the term "backlog" which makes me think of work.

Side Note:

I had no idea that there was a NASCAR game coming out this year. Well, add another game to add to the buy list...dammit. There is always something.

[KSUowls]

Return to the monthly updates again this year. I feel like they helped keep me on track and motivated to actually work through some of my goals.

On that topic not a lot to report. I've been bouncing around a few games waiting for something to stick.

January Game Reviews:
Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle (PC) - (7.5) - Good bones on this suspense/shooter

Spoiler

Picked this one up based on a whim during the recent Steam sale. I came away pleasantly surprised. Maybe think of it as a low budget Dead Space in terms of gameplay. The story is pretty interesting, and there is plenty of suspense to get your heart rate up as you go through it. It's pretty linear though and combat is only serviceable at best. Fun enough, especially for just the few dollars that I spent on it.

Diplomacy is not an Option (PC) - (8.5) - Really fun Survival/RTS.

Spoiler

It has some humor that really throws you for a loop. Quite challenging but fun

Earthbound (Switch - Online) - (9.0) - A classic revisited.

Spoiler

Earthbound is available to play as part of the Nintendo online subscription (SNES). It's a cult classic that is considered one of the best JRPG's of the SNES era. I've played through it so many times, and it still holds up today. The story is kind of whacky, and it does not take itself seriously. There are a lot of pop culture things which get parodied in the gameplay. But it never goes so far that it becomes inane. A lot of the gameplay systems are also simplistic. Somehow it all just works though.

Madden 2007 (PS2) - (9.0) - How is a nearly 20 year old game so vastly superior to any football game currently on the market?

Spoiler

You see a noticeable difference between like a 90 overall receiver and a guy who is a 75. Dynasty depth might as well be alien technology for how far advanced it is compared to either Madden or CFB (4 coaches instead of 3, named coordinators not just the head coaches, former players eventually becoming coaches, coach stats tied to attributes instead of cheat code unlocks like the skill tree...and that's just the coaching side. I haven't talked about the Tony Bruno show, the game planning (more informative than Madden), position battles, etc...There are certainly some QOL things that Madden and CFB do better with 20 years of additional experience, but so much about the old PS2 footballs are just better.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (Switch) - (8.0) - What a weird experience.

Spoiler

The creators of this game also created the Xenosaga trilogy which are some of my favorite games ever. Xenoblade Chronicles (XC) was meant to be a spiritual successor to that game, and in a lot of ways XC is really good. The story is quite compelling, the characters are interesting in their own right, and the combat system has a certain flavor to it. In fact, I really like the combat system with its heavy emphasis on resource management and the unique mechanic where you can see the future. Itemization and crafting are also present enough to offer some interest there too.

There is a major 'but' though. The way that side quests are handled in XC is beyond horrible. I can't think of a strong enough word to describe how bad it is. For one, there are A LOT of them. A large percentage of them are some form of a fetch quest too, which isn't particularly interesting. As if that were not bad enough, they are implemented in a way that seems to be intentionally inconvenient to complete efficiently. Many quests have pre-requisites of either/both needing a specific quest completed and/or a certain affinity (ie: completing a bunch of quests in an area) before you can access. This means that you can't just load up on quests at once and do them as you explore passively, you have to actively go back and forth and engage with this system. Some quest givers will also only offer their missions at specific times of the day, which is yet another hoop that you have to jump through. The rewards for these quests really aren't even all that great in most cases either (which is actually a good thing as noted next).

I spent the first couple of story chapters trying to 100% the game and realized that I had spent literally like 5x-6x more time on the available side quests than I had spent engaging with the story, and I was not having fun. Finally I decided to just forget the system entirely, only pick up a couple of quests when it is convenient to do so, and the game experience increased dramatically.

The main game with its story and combat is like a 9/10. The side quests are a 0/10.

Currently Playing
Diplomacy is not an Option (PC)
Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle (PC)
Madden 07 (PS2)
Earthbound (Switch - Online)
Xenoblade Chronicles (Switch)



Gaming goals for 2025:
Complete 8 single player games


--------------------------------
2025 Game Release Radar:

Spoiler

Games I will likely Pre-order:

Quote:

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition (3/18/25) - Already pre-ordered. One of my favorite RPG developers Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (2025) - It's Metroid, duh Vampire Masquerade Bloodlines (2025) - I'll believe it when I see it, but when I see it I'm buying it Gears of War: E-Day (2025) - This looks great Clair Obscur Expedition 33 (2025) - To be honest this game looks amazing from the minimal information that has been shown. The lack of information is my only hesitation.

Games that I'm really excited about, but I have a hint of hesitancy

Quote:

Wuchang Fallen Feathers (2025) - I may not love Souls-like games, but every trailer on this one looks good Showa American Story (2025) - A post-apocalyptic zombie action adventure game set in America with Japanese culture? It sounds super interesting, but I have so many questions. Fable (2025) - It's Fable, I have high expectations. Tokyo Xtreme Racer (2025) - Loved playing this game on the Dreamcast. I'm curious how it will translate in a modern setting. Nascar 25 (2025) - The way these devs talk about old games like Dirt to Daytona has me really excited. It's been nearly 20 years since I was happy with a Nascar game though.

Intrigued but wait for a sale (a big one)

Quote:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2/4/25) - I expect it to be good, just not in a rush to buy it when I still have a long way to go in the first game. Civilization 7 (2/11/25) - I generally love these games. I have some questions around some of the new mechanics, and I have other similar games that will hold me over. Suikoden I & II HD Remaster (3/6/25) - I'm tired of re-masters, but I would be lying to say that I don't want it. Kingmaker (Q1 25) - Pretty gimmicky, but it's hard to say no to a game that lets you use a tank in the middle ages. Borderlands 4 (2025) - These zany games are usually fun, but I can always wait for a discount

Others on my radar

Quote:

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii (2/21/25) - It's funny if nothing else. Kaiserpunk (2/27/25) - An interesting combination between city builder and strategy. Monster Hunter Wilds (2/28/25) - Not the biggest fan of the series, but all of the gameplay does look fun CFB 26 (July 2025) - It's on here by default, but I don't have high hopes Ship of Heroes (Q2 25) - I've been waiting for this City of Heroes successor for YEARS. As a MMO fan there is a good chance that I try it out. Eternal Strands (2025) - I don't really like games with a survival mechanic, but this action rpg has a lot of interesting elements. Lost Soul Aside (2025) - An RPG with modern action combat. It gives off major Final Fantasy vibes Doom: The Dark Ages (2025) - Nothing against Doom, just not a huge FPS guy anymore. This one looks cool though. Ghost of Yotei (2025) - I hope that it's good Crimson Desert (2025) - I wish that combat looked more like BDO, but I'm still interested to see more. Gothic Remake (2025) - Good call on this Picci. Completely forgot that this was in development.

[Armor and Sword]

January Update:


Currently Playing:

MLB The Show 24 - 1990 Blue Jays Season Replay

MLB The Show 23 - 1985 Yankees Season Replay

NHL 25 - Panthers Year 1

CFB 25 - Alabama Year 7

Sudden Strike 4 Complete Editon

2025 Purchases:

Sniper Elite 6 Resistance January 30th Release Date

In the Que:

Sniper Elite 6
Star Wars Outlaws

[ChaseB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Armor and Sword

January Update: Currently Playing: MLB The Show 24 - 1990 Blue Jays Season Replay MLB The Show 23 - 1985 Yankees Season Replay NHL 25 - Panthers Year 1 CFB 25 - Alabama Year 7 Sudden Strike 4 Complete Editon 2025 Purchases: Sniper Elite 6 Resistance January 30th Release Date In the Que: Sniper Elite 6 Star Wars Outlaws

I just re-ran through Sniper Elite 4 with a buddy, not sure if we'll play Resistance at launch or not though.

[Armor and Sword]

Quote: Originally Posted by ChaseB

I just re-ran through Sniper Elite 4 with a buddy, not sure if we'll play Resistance at launch or not though.

4 and 5 were so good.

[kingsofthevalley]

I like these threads, gives a place to step back and assess.

What have I been playing and what am I looking forward to as of January 25?

Let’s see:

Been playing Undisputed boxing, Sackboy, and Spyro when I actually get to sit down and play something. I’ve been having great aspirations to sit down and get some CFB 25 in but for some reason it’s not happening (probably wife and daughter).

I purchased Star Wars Outlaws again and got some play time with that a few times this past couple of days, trying to force myself to deep dive into it lol.

Not too much on the horizon. Madden26, CFB26, & GTA come to mind. My next for sure purchase is Assassins Creed Shadows (this will definitely be my personal successor to the Tenchu series no doubt).

[jrnlgrn]

January Recap

Finished:
AstroBot - Really Enjoyed this. I didn't collect all the Bots may go back to clean that up but probably not. I'm just not a completionist type of game. One of the few PS5 games that I take advantage of the console.
SuperHot - This is an old game that I overlooked for years but picked it up on a whim. I loved it. Simple graphics but fun gameplay. This one reminded me why I love gaming.
Tekken 8 - This was my first Tekken game. Completed the story. Now I'm just trying to find a few characters to main. I don't care about fighting other humans so fighting their ghost is good enough for me.

Currently Playing:
Judgement - I originally started this back in February of last year but put it down for some reason. Jumped back in and really enjoying it. Taking it slow and playing it kind of like episode of a TV show.
A Short Hike - Nice "cozy/chill" game. Just something to play and chill with no pressure.

Currently Playing (Games with "No End")
Off the Grid - This is my multiplayer game. Met some cool people playing this one. Still in Early Access not sure if the devs will pull this off but it's a simple BR gameplay loop that I find fun.
Pro Yakyuu Spirits 24-25 - I swear I'm going to start season eventually. Still just playing through the daily moments from the 2024 season.
Tekken 8 - I'm committing to "get gud" at a fighting game. Law, Asuka, Raven are probably going to be the characters are focus on. The may not be the meta picks but I enjoy them.

VR (Rarely Use it But These Are Always Installed)
Gran Turismo 7
Beat Saber
Synth Riders

Abandonded:
Flintlock - I'm still trying to capture that Bloodborne feeling. Will not try any more Soulslike games unless it's a BB sequel or remaster. BB is the only FromSoft/Soulslike game that I have ever really clicked for me.