Your 2015 Gaming Diary

nekunando · December 25, 2015

Second one takes place on Christmas Eve funnily enough.
Try and get the double pack if you can, they're both great!

I'm more interested in the second one but if I like it I can always pick up the original at some point. There's no guarantee it'll click with me, though :heh:

Hero-of-Time · December 25, 2015

Super Mario RPG (Wii U) complete!

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This is the first time i've actually played through this game fully. I bought it when it was first released on the Wii, but only made it as far as the Tadpole place, before dropping it for something else. It was nice to finally sit down and get it done from start to finish.

Sheikah · December 25, 2015

Super Mario RPG (Wii U) complete!

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This is the first time i've actually played through this game fully. I bought it when it was first released on the Wii, but only made it as far as the Tadpole place, before dropping it for something else. It was nice to finally sit down and get it done from start to finish.

Epic game, really enjoyed playing this back in the day on an emulator. Funnier, more interesting and more going for it than any of the Paper Mario games it essentially spawned.

Hero-of-Time · December 27, 2015

Finished J-Stars Victory VS+ (PS4) this morning. I actually started this back in June but stopped playing it for some reason. It took me an hour or so it get to grips with the fighting mechanics again. This is why I hate dropping games and then picking them up again later.

Absolutely wacky game, with a bunch of crazy characters, most of which I haven't got a clue who they are. The story mode is very lengthy, lasting at around 15 hours.

Not sure when I'll nab the platinum. I've done the hardest trophies but the rest are a complete grind. You have to finish the story mode another 3 times, which doesn't really change apart from the main character you use.

Happenstance · December 27, 2015

Finished J-Stars Victory VS+ (PS4) this morning. I actually started this back in June but stopped playing it for some reason. It took me an hour or so it get to grips with the fighting mechanics again. This is why I hate dropping games and then picking them up again later.

Absolutely wacky game, with a bunch of crazy characters, most of which I haven't got a clue who they are. The story mode is very lengthy, lasting at around 15 hours.

Not sure when I'll nab the platinum. I've done the hardest trophies but the rest are a complete grind. You have to finish the story mode another 3 times, which doesn't really change apart from the main character you use.

I say this way too often but I also need to get back to this soon. I played it for a while at release and then must have stopped when something else came out. Completely forgotten the controls now.

Hero-of-Time · December 29, 2015

I was going to start sonething else after finishing J-Stars but decided to push through for the platinum. Figured if I went and played something else and came back to this at a later date I would just have to learn the combos all over again.

So, platinum obtained and it was hefty grind. Having to do the story another 3 times was bad enough but I also had to fully clear Victory Road mode which consisted of having 123 fights!

The final Story mode run was a bit of a pain as well. The characters you had to use were pretty shoddy ( guys from Bleach and Beezlebub ) and didn't have the strength or long range abilities to hammer opponents. Luckily you can change them in the final third of the game. Back to Goku, Luffy and Naruto I went.

That's possibly the last platinum I will nab this year.

killthenet · December 29, 2015

Just played through The Beginner's Guide, a friend gave it to me for Christmas on Steam and thought I would really enjoy it. I've not played The Stanley Parable yet, but I think I will have to now. The Beginner's Guide was such a unique and personal experience. I have recently been suffering through severe depression and anxiety so playing through this experience was difficult and relatable for me. It really reminds you of the variety that video games can offer, and it's excellent that games such as this, that are so clearly defined by an individual's vision, can find success alongside the more conventional releases.

**Fierce_LiNk** · December 29, 2015

I've had a very productive day!

Spent the day getting the final two trophies in Drive Club. Got myself the Platinum at long last.

The game is excellent and it's only just got better and better as they've released more content and made changes for it. I must say, I think the addition of an easier mode was much needed and it's made the game more "friendly" as a result of it. Beforehand, I enjoyed it but finished almost every race towards the back of the grid. It's a bit more rewarding now, plus just more enjoyable. I really rate the game highly. Plus, it's drop dead gorgeous to look at.

The other game I've been playing is Cities: Skylines. My favourite City builder. It's what I always wanted SimCity to evolve into, but it never has done. It's a game that I played quite a bit earlier in the year but just got back into it over Christmas. One of those games that you can just sink hours and hours into without realising.

Games of 2015

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor - Finished and PLATINUMED

Transistor - Finished

The Walking Dead Season One - Finished and PLATINUMED

inFAMOUS Second Son - good ending completed

Watchdogs - started in 2014, finally finished main story

The Walking Dead Season Two - Finished

The Order 1886 - Finished

BLOODBORNE - Finished

Never Alone - Finished

Hohokum - Finished

The Witcher 3 - Story (and many other quests!) completed

Journey - Finished

FlOw - Finished

Batman: Arkham Knight - Main story completed. Can't be arsed collecting all of the Riddler trophies

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture - Finished

Entwined - Finished

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune - Finished

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - Finished

White Night - Finished

Until Dawn - Play-through 1 Finished!

Rocket League - PLATINUMED!

Sound Shapes - Campaign completed

Drive Club - PLATINUMED!

Cities: Skylines

Edited December 29, 2015 by Fierce_LiNk

Hero-of-Time · December 30, 2015

Started and finished Flower (PS4) today. It had been sitting on my to play list for a while and figured I could just kick back and relax, especially after Paper Jam is annoying the hell out of me.

Stunning. Absolutely stunning game. The way the petals move, the way the scenery changes, the way the grass blows in the wind, everything just looks and feels amazing. Beautiful.

The later levels seem like a battle between man/machine vs nature. At least that's how it was playing in my head. There was a strange sense of satisfaction when using my petals the bash down the scattered pieces of broken metal and the shards that sprung out, in an attempt to defend themselves.

The only negative I have is the last trophy that needed unlocking. It required you to bloom 10,000 flowers. You don't get this through naturally playing through the game and it requires multiple play throughs or grinding level 3 or 6. It was such an unnecessary trophy to have it the game.

I love Journey but I think I preferred the experience I had with this game. Hmm....hard to call, really.

Dat Game Company, indeed. :bowdown:

nekunando · December 30, 2015

With many of us having kept track of everything we played this year, perhaps we could all look back through our lists to each pick out the best and worst games we played in 2015

I'll probably finish off my list tomorrow as I haven't updated for a while :hehe:

Hero-of-Time · December 30, 2015

With many of us having kept track of everything we played this year, perhaps we could all look back through our lists to each pick out the best and worst games we played in 2015

I'll probably finish off my list tomorrow as I haven't updated for a while

Yeah, I plan on doing a bit of an analysis of the games I've played. I may yet squeeze another one in though...

**Fierce_LiNk** · December 30, 2015

With many of us having kept track of everything we played this year, perhaps we could all look back through our lists to each pick out the best and worst games we played in 2015

I'll probably finish off my list tomorrow as I haven't updated for a while

How would that work? One best game and one worst? Or would there be several categories?

nekunando · December 30, 2015

How would that work? One best game and one worst? Or would there be several categories?

It's up to yourself, really You could branch out into things like the most disappointing game you played or the biggest surprise if you wish but it doesn't have to be anything particularly formal : peace:

You don't even have to tell us your best one as we already know :heh:

RedShell · December 31, 2015

Yeah, I plan on doing a bit of an analysis of the games I've played. I may yet squeeze another one in though...

How you getting on with Transformers? That's supposedly a pretty short game.

Hero-of-Time · December 31, 2015

How you getting on with Transformers? That's supposedly a pretty short game.

Campaign is but the platinum trophy isn't.

I just put it in to install it and let my youngest nephews have a go. They seen it on my shelf and wanted to play it. Luckily they didn't nab any trophies, so I just deleted it from my list. I'm not ready to play it yet.

RedShell · December 31, 2015

Campaign is but the platinum trophy isn't.

I just put it in to install it and let my youngest nephews have a go. They seen it on my shelf and wanted to play it. Luckily they didn't nab any trophies, so I just deleted it from my list. I'm not ready to play it yet.

Ah! I thought it was strange how there were no trophies on your list. :hehe:

Hero-of-Time · December 31, 2015

Here's my final list of games completed for the year. I forgot to put Starfox Assault on the list, which I finished in June. I played it during E3 week and never added it to the list. Probably because my list was being kept up to date on my laptop at work and I forgot to add it when I returned from my week off.

Sadly this means that Devils Third wasn't actually game 100. That achievement now goes to Wonderbook, which is equally as quirky and stupid.

1. Valiant Hearts (PS4)

2. Donkey Kong 94 (3DS VC)

3. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (3DS VC)

4. Donkey Kong Land (3DS VC)

5. Links Awakening (3DS VC)

6. Oracle of Seasons (3DS VC)

7. Oracle of Ages (3DS VC)

8. Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)

9. Final Fantasy VIII (Vita)

10. Luigi’s Mansion 2 (3DS)

11. The Order (PS4)

12. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

13. Child of Light (Vita)

14. Final Fantasy Type 0 (PS4)

15. Far Cry 4 (PS4)

16. Mario vs Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (Wii U)

17. Mighty Switch Force HD (Wii U)

18. Mighty Switch Force 2 (Wii U)

19. Mario 64 (Wii U VC)

20. Donkey Kong 64 (Wii U VC)

21. Lego Batman 3 (PS4)

22. Kuru Kuru Kurin (Wii U VC)

23. Monster Bag (Vita)

24. Never Alone (PS4)

25. Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii)

26. Metal Gear Solid (Vita)

27. Jak II (PS3)

28. Kirby’s Nightmare in Dreamland (Wii U VC)

29. Megaman Battle Network (Wii U VC)

30. Kirby & The Amazing Mirror (Wii U VC)

31. Zelda: Majora’s Mask (3DS)

32. Kirby’s Pinball Land (3DS VC)

33. Kirby & The Rainbow Paintbrush (Wii U)

34. The Unfinished Swan (PS4)

35. Murasaki Baby (Vita)

36. Sin & Punishment 2 (Wii)

37. Lara Croft & The Temple of Osiris (PS4)

38. Kirby Super Star (Wii U VC)

39. Kirby’s Adventure Wii (Wii)

40. Splatoon (Wii U)

41. Metroid: Other M (Wii)

42. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)

43. Final Fantasy X HD (PS4/Vita)

44. Kirby 64 (Wii U VC)

45. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)

46. Yoshi’s Woolly World (Wii U)

47. Rocket League (PS4)

48. Spyro the Dragon (Vita)

49. Strider (PSOne)

50. Strider 2 (PSOne)

51. Final Fight One (Wii U VC)

52. Crash Bandicoot (Vita)

53. Crash Bandicoot 2 (Vita)

54. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (PSOne)

55. Assassins Creed Unity (PS4)

56. Journey (PS4)

57. Sonic 3D (3DS)

58. Streets of Rage 2 (3DS)

59. Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS3)

60. Sound Shapes (PS4)

61. Mousecraft (PS4)

62. Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS3)

63. Legend of Korra (PS4)

64. Rain (PS3)

65. Code of Princess (3DS)

66. Kirby’s Star Stacker (3DS VC)

67. Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)

68. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PS3)

69. Conker’s Bad Fur Day (Xbox One)

70. Digger T Rock (Xbox One)

71. Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes (PS4)

72. Gears of War: Ultimate Edition (Xbox One)

73. Jet Pac (Xbox One)

74. Disney Infinity 3.0: Twilight of the Old Republic (PS4)

75. Until Dawn (PS4)

76. Disney Infinity 3.0: Rise of the Empire (PS4)

77. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PS4)

78. A Link to the Past (Wii U VC)

79. Klonoa (Vita)

80. Shantae and the Pirates Curse (Wii U)

81. Fifa 15 (Vita)

82. GunmanClive HD (Wii U)

83. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune (PS4)

84. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS4)

85. Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception (PS4)

86. Mario Golf 64 (Wii U)

87. Wolfenstein: Old Blood (PS4)

88. Dragon Quest Heroes (PS4)

89. Sonic 2 (3DS)

90. Zelda: Triforce Heroes (3DS)

91. Home (Vita)

92. Assassins Creed Syndicate (PS4)

93. Lego Jurassic Park (Vita)

94. Chibi-Robo: Zip Las (3DS)

95. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (Vita)

96. Halo 5: Guardians (Xbox One)

97. Teslagrad (PS4)

98. DriveClub (PS4)

99. Wonderbook:Book of Spells (PS3)

100. Devil's Third (Wii U)

101. Star Wars Battlefront (PS4)

102. Final Fantasy (Vita)

103. Far Cry Blood Dragon (PS3)

104. Final Fantasy VII (PS4)

105. Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4)

106. Mario Tennis Ultra Smash (Wii U)

107. BoxBoy (3DS)

108. Bayonetta (Wii U)

109. Bayonetta 2 (Wii U)

110. Super Mario RPG (Wii U)

111. J-Stars Victory VS+ (PS4)

112. Flower (PS4)

113. Star Fox Assault (GameCube)

Here's a breakdown of games played on each platform.

Valiant Hearts
The Order
Final Fantasy Type 0
Far Cry 4
Lego Batman 3
Never Alone
The Unfinished Swan
Lara Croft & The Temple of Osiris
Final Fantasy X HD
Rocket League
Assassins Creed Unity
Journey
Sound Shapes
Mousecraft
Legend of Korra
Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes
Disney Infinity 3.0: Twilight of the Old Republic
Until Dawn
Disney Infinity 3.0: Rise of the Empire
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
Wolfenstein: Old Blood
Dragon Quest Heroes
Assassins Creed Syndicate
Teslagrad
DriveClub
Star Wars Battlefront
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Age: Inquisition
J-Stars Victory+
Flower

Out of these titles, I had only played 7 of them before, leaving 26 of them were brand new experiences to me.

9 of these games were free due to either cross buy promotions, from when I bought the PS3 version in the past, or part of PS+.

12 of these games were retail games from this years release schedule.

Mario vs Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Mighty Switch Force HD
Mighty Switch Force 2
Mario 64
Donkey Kong 64
Kuru Kuru Kurin
Kirby’s Nightmare in Dreamland
Megaman Battle Network
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
Kirby & The Rainbow Paintbrush
Kirby Super Star
Splatoon
Kirby 64
Yoshi’s Woolly World
Final Fight One
A Link to the Past
Shantae and the Pirates Curse
GunmanClive HD
Mario Golf 64
Devil's Third
Mario Tennis Ultra Smash
Bayonetta
Bayonetta 2
Super Mario RPG

Only 6 of the games on the list were retail releases from this year.

13 games were Virtual Console titles.

12 of the games on the list were new experiences to me.

Donkey Kong 94
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
Donkey Kong Land
Links Awakening
Oracle of Seasons
Oracle of Ages
Fire Emblem: Awakening
Luigi’s Mansion 2
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Kirby’s Pinball Land
Sonic 3D
Streets of Rage 2
Code of Princess
Kirby’s Star Stacker
Sonic 2
Zelda: Triforce Heroes
Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash
BoxBoy

11 of these games are old titles from the Virtual Console or Sega collections.

Only 4 of these games were retail releases from this year.

Final Fantasy VIII
Child of Light
Monster Bag
Metal Gear Solid
Murasaki Baby
Spyro the Dragon
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot 2
Klonoa
FIFA 15
Home
Lego Jurassic World
Crash Bandicoot 3
Final Fantasy I

Only Lego Jurassic World was bought from this years retail releases.

3 games were from PS+.

Jak II
Metal Gear Solid 2
Metal Gear Solid 3
Rain
Metal Gear Solid 4
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Wonderbook:Book of Spells
Far Cry Blood Dragon

5 of these games were games that I had never played before.

3 of these games were from PS+.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Sin & Punishment 2
Kirby’s Adventure Wii
Metroid: Other M
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns

Nothing to really add here. I had played all of these games before, apart from S&P2.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day
Digger T Rock
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
Jet Pac
Halo 5: Guardians

Strider
Strider 2
Street Fighter Alpha 3

1.Starfox Assault

So the final tallies are...

PS4 = 33

Wii U = 24

3ds =19

Vita = 14

PS3 = 8

Wii = 6

Xbox One = 5

PSOne = 3

GameCube = 1

The PS4 won hands down in terms of games played and new experiences had and there were a load more other games that I never had the time to play or didnt even buy yet.

While the 3DS and Wii U games played numbers are quite large, a lot of them are from the Virtual Console library and have been played many times before in the past. It certainly highlighted just what a weak year its been for both formats.

For those who question whether PS+ is worth it, 15 games that I played this year were from that service. That's really just a small fraction of the games that were on offer as well.

Looking at my PS4 list, I managed to platinum or 100% all games I played excpet two, which were Lara Croft and Final Fantasy X. Lara Croft I doubt I will even get 100% on due to me hating time trial stuff. Final Fantasy X is very doable platinum but takes a real time sink to fill in the sphere grid.

All in all an absolute steller year for me in terms of gaming experiences had. I managed to stop spending stupid amounts of money on games that I didn't have the time to play yet and instead concentrate more on the ones that were on my shelf. I also became more focused and stopped jumping from game to game, only to end up not finishing any of them.

BIG thanks to @nekunando for crating this topic. :heart: It helped in keeping me focused and on track and also allowed me to look back at the games I had played during the year.

Here's to a another cracking gaming year in 2016. Let's see if I can finish 114 games this time.

nekunando · December 31, 2015

BIG thanks to @Hero\-of\-Time[/b]!

I was about to complete my list, worrying that I may forget to add a few from the last couple of months, but there's a possibility that I will see the credits of one final game before 2015 draws to a close

RedShell · December 31, 2015

For those who question whether PS+ is worth it, 15 games that I played this year were from that service. That's really just a small fraction of the games that were on offer as well.

24 of the 63 games I completed this year were PS+ titles! Including the sensational Yakuza 4! :awesome: (I've said it before, but that game alone was worth the 32 quid I paid for my subscription :hehe:

).

Was hugely skeptical of PS+ initially, but it really is a great service.

Need to keep an eye out for any deals in January so I can renew for 2016!

BIG thanks to @nekunando for crating this topic. It helped in keeping me focused and on track and also allowed me to look back at the games I had played during the year.

Here's to a another cracking gaming year in 2016. Let's see if I can finish 114 games this time.

Yeah, quality thread. Cheers again, nekunando. : peace: Edited December 31, 2015 by RedShell

Jonnas · December 31, 2015

Gotta add my thanks as well, @nekunando. This thread made me pay more attention to my gaming schedule, as well as making me notice when I was going through a dry spell (since those have reasons behind them, that's kind of important).

Furthermore, my thoughts on each game at the time of completion is in this thread, and that's pretty neat.

Played/Beat/Completed:

-Binding of Isaac + Wrath of the Lamb Beaten (Last played: 11th January)

-Hitman Contracts Beaten (2nd February)

-Sonic CD Completed (19th February)

-Puzzle Agent Completed (17th February)

-Teslagrad Completed (8th March)

-Q.U.B.E.: Director's Cut Beaten (14th March)

-The Whispered World Completed (11th April)

-Rogue Legacy Beaten (6th May)

-Kirby's Dream Course Beaten (4th June)

-Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Completed (7th June)

-Out There Somewhere Completed (26th June)

-Spelunky Beaten (29th June)

-Kuru Kuru Kururin Beaten (19th July)

-BEEP Completed (20th July)

-Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament Completed (8th August)

-Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator Completed (16th August)

-Polarity Beaten (19th August)

-Back to the Future: The Game Completed (27th August)

-A Bird Story Completed (24th September)

-Mega Man VII Completed (26th September)

-Camera Obscura Beaten (26th September)

-To the Moon: Sigmund Minisodes 1&2 Completed (28th September)

-Binding of Isaac (Round 2) Beaten (12th October)

-Puzzle Agent 2 Completed (13th October)

-Lilly Looking Through Completed (10th November)

-Plants vs Zombies Completed (4th December)

Currently Playing:

-Deponia: The Complete Journey

-Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

On Hold/Hiatus:

-Shadow Man

Dropped:

-Enemy Mind Needs gamepad (25th March)

Not included in this list: games that I replayed (such as Super Mario Galaxy), or dropped without any intention of picking them back up (such as Mr.Driller 2, or Final Fantasy X).

nekunando · December 31, 2015

On Hold/Hiatus:-Shadow Man

Out of curiosity, how far have you got in it? I played a considerable chunk of the N64 version, possibly within the last 12 months, but managed to lose my bearings a little and ended up not really being sure if where to go next in order to progress :hmm:

I think I'm probably done with it now as I can't see myself returning to try to get into it, particularly due to the fact that it helps to remember some of the details about the locations in order to return later with new abilities.

Glen-i · December 31, 2015

SURPRISE!

I feel like every gamer worth their salt has a game they can call their "favourite" game.

Everyone has different favourite games and even those who have similar games like them for different reasons.

So for my 50th game of 2015, I revisited my favourite game.

This may not be an in-game screenshot...

It's Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky! And I'm gonna go into detail about why I like it so much.

And I'm gonna do it in a format that I've used a few times before.

Gaemplay!

Explorers of Sky is a spin-off to the Pokemon series that released in 2009. It is a roguelike game with elements of the Pokemon games.

It's an enhanced version of Explorers of Darkness and Explorers of Time, kinda like how Pokemon Yellow was an enhanced version of Red and Blue.

It boasts extra dungeons, the ability to actually recruit every Pokemon available (In the first 4 generations anyway, with the exception of Arceus) and 5 "Special Episodes" which focus on some of the NPC's throughout the game.

When the game starts, you answer a questionnaire to determine what Pokemon you play as, there are some utterly bizarre questions, and it's certainly a fun way to choose a Pokemon, but I just kept redoing it until I got the Pokemon I wanted, Charmander. You then choose a partner Pokemon, (I went with Totodile) and get started.

The idea of the game is to explore "Mystery Dungeons" without getting the stuffing kicked out of you. Using moves, items and strategy is integral to success.

Each dungeon is randomly generated each time you enter, so you'll never get quite the same layout twice.

To progress, you must find the stairs to get to the next floor, you keep going until you reach the end which may or may not have a boss to fight.

That Giratina may not be available initially

Everything is turn-based, including movement, so whenever you do something, all the enemies do so as well.

While this may seem off-putting to some, I personally relish this, as it requires thought about what to do next. One miscalculation could easily get you pummelled, and kick you right out of the dungeon with your hard earned items and money gone!

Yeah, despite it being a Pokemon game, this game is tough as nails! It starts off pretty easy-going, but about a third of the way through the story, it takes off the kiddy gloves and starts really piling on the harshness.

Well, you're dead!

To the uninformed, that picture might look like someone has really screwed themselves over, but the harsh reality is that kind of situation is all too common in the late game, and a team that isn't prepared for that is the team that fails.

Well, unless you chose Pikachu as the main character, which is essentially easy mode anyway.

Couple that with the fact you can't evolve the two main characters until you properly finish the game, (Seeing the credits is not even close to finishing the game), a belly metre, that steadily depletes as you move, running out of PP being a genuine concern and you've got one brutal, but satisfying game.

As someone who has always found the mainline Pokemon games a bit on the easy side, I love the challenge this game provides. It's harsh, sure. But good preparation and good decision making will get you through. And I find it very satisfying.

Storeh!

For the sake of context, I chose Charmander as the main character. Also, BIG FAT MASSIVE SPOILERS!

And trust me, the story plays a big part in this game. Despite being a Pokemon game.

The story follows a human, who wakes up on a beach with no memory of how they got there. He was woken up by a timid Totodile who, for some reason, is talking perfect English.

And then this human realises that he's transformed into a Charmander.

The story unfolds around why this bloke has turned into a Charmander and exactly why he was on this beach in the first place.

Mr. Charmander decides to help Timid Totodile apply to the local Explorers guild, hoping to unearth some clues about his foggy past.

The story is a bit slow to start, but after about 6 dungeons, it starts to pick up with some trinkets called Time Gears being stolen. And this is having some bad repercussions. You know, time stopping, that whole jazz.

So sooner or later, you're gonna have to confront this Mysterious Pokemon thief. Well, I say mysterious, but any Pokenerd can tell you which Pokemon it is from the silhouette anyway. Also, the game kinda assumes you've played Explorers of Darkness/Time...

pokemon_mystery_dungeon_explorers_of_the_sky_conceptart_i6ISg.jpg

This can appear on the main menu, basically shouting out that it's a Grovyle that's doing it

By the way, that Grovyle has quite the fanbase. He's easily the most liked character in this game. And I totally agree.

Turns out that the Grovyle is originally from the future, where time has stopped completely. He's stealing the Time Gears to put them back in their original place and stop this future from happening, knowing full well that this will erase him from existence.

But you know what the real kicker is?

He knows the human, they're both from the future.

This twist is brilliant, it's foreshadowed a little, but it took me by complete surprise the first time I saw it. Absolutely blindsided!

This leads into a genuinely sad moment when the Grovyle pretty much sacrifices himself so that the two main characters can carry on.

The story is disgustingly good, it's deceptively deep and the characters involved are generally well written and likable.

I do have to point out that it is a bit on the cheesy side at times. Courage and friendship are kinda big themes here and they're hammered home with all the subtlety of a Groudon jumping up and down.

But that's not to say there aren't subtle moments in this game. In fact, give it a bit of thought and this game gets really dark, really quick.

One of the first things that happens is an Azurill gets abducted by a Drowzee and you have to rescue him.

Seems fine so far, until you realise that said Azurill is a child.

Yep, that's child abduction! But that's only the start of it.

Later on, time travel takes place because reasons I won't go into, and you end up in a future where time has completely stopped.

It's pretty depressing, to say the least

So that's apocalyptic future down. What's next?

Well one of the "special episodes" has a lovely little twist where a character who's been helping that Grovyle out backstabs him so he can use his dead body to go into the present and off the main characters.

It doesn't work, but that's attempted bodily possession!

And finally, right near the end of the game, things are going pretty badly. And the partner Pokemon... well there's no other way of saying it, but it contemplates suicide!

Of course, it's heavily implied. But it's really jarring in a game that's rated PEGI 3.

So yeah, darker and edgier than... well pretty much any other Pokemon game really. And it only makes the story even better!

Graphycs!

I will say that this is the probably the weakest point of the game. It's not a bad looking game and there's over 490 different Pokemon sprites, but it's not going to wow you with over the top visuals.

That said, I really do like how every Pokemon has a dialogue portrait, some with multiple emotions.

In fact, here's a link to a few.

http://www.spriters-resource.com/fullview/24968/

Muzak!

The soundtrack is sublime, well over 100 tracks! And the best thing is, there's a sound test! It irritates me to an extreme that the soundtrack isn't acknowledged in Smash because it really is that good!

Oh well, here's one of my many favourite tracks in this game. It plays in the last dungeon before the credits.


	Audio

So there we go, that's my favourite game of all time, and the last game I played through in 2015. Sure, it's not universally loved. The gameplay is a love it or hate it affair. But if this ever comes out on Virtual Console, give it a go, spend some hours in it, see if it clicks with you, because if it does, you'll love it!

Once again, thanks to @nekunando for this great thread! Roll on 2016!

Lufia: The Legend Returns - GBC

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - WiiU (Not 100%)

Demon's Crest - SNES (Not 100%)

The World Ends With You - DS

Gunman Clive - 3DS

Gunman Clive 2 - 3DS

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse - 3DS

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - 3DS

Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe - 3DS

Banjo-Tooie - N64

Metroid Zero Mission - GBA (Not 100%)

Child of Light - Wii U (Single Character challenge)

Super Smash Bros - 3DS (Everything, baby!)

Super Mario World - SNES

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - 3DS (Credits seen)

Super Mario 64 - N64 (120 stars)

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D - 3DS

Final Fantasy 8 - PS1

Tengami - WiiU

Earthbound Beginnings - NES

Puzzle & Dragons Z - 3DS

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition - 3DS

Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Skies - Wii

Pokemon Blue - GB

Kirby Dream Land 2 - GB

Kirby's Fun Pak - SNES

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64

Kirby: Nightmare In Dream Land - GBA

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror - GBA

Kirby's Epic Yarn - Wii

Super Smash Bros. - Wii U (100%)

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - DS

The Last Story - Wii

Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise - Wii

Rhythm Paradise - DS

Shin Megami Tensei IV - 3DS

Super Mario Bros. - SNES (Super Mario All-Stars Version)

Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness - NGC

Super Mario Maker - WiiU

Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows - 3DS

The Beginner's Guide - PC

Undertale - PC

3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - 3DS

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds - 3DS (100%)

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes - 3DS

Tales of the Abyss - 3DS

Streetpass Zombies - 3DS

Streetpass Fishing - 3DS

Super Mario 3D Land - 3DS

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - DS

Edited December 31, 2015 by Glen-i

Magnus · December 31, 2015

Here's my year in review (games with asterisks are ones I've finished before, in one form or another).

Games%202015%20-%20part%201_zpsnhwyix6w.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%202_zpsr4mnedon.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%203_zpsv0dzo6yq.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%204_zpsxx196odj.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%205_zpsirywrmnj.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%206_zpsbn0zzcih.png~original

Games%202015%20-%20part%207_zpssltpe7do.png~original

gmac · December 31, 2015

I didn't get as much done this year as I'd hoped and forgot about this thread.

Did manage to nab the platinum in Assassins Creed Syndicate to end the year though.

Will definitely keep more of a record for 2016!

Jonnas · January 1, 2016

Out of curiosity, how far have you got in it? I played a considerable chunk of the N64 version, possibly within the last 12 months, but managed to lose my bearings a little and ended up not really being sure if where to go next in order to progress

I think I'm probably done with it now as I can't see myself returning to try to get into it, particularly due to the fact that it helps to remember some of the details about the locations in order to return later with new abilities.

I reached a cathedral where I had to fight one of the serial killers in the physical world, but the fight was unwinnable.

I'm unsure if I ought to restart when I do pick it up again. Sure, I'll remember better where the portals are, but I felt that early-game combat was boring, and I don't need to go through that again.

Your 2015 Gaming Diary

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