2023 Game Clear Thread

[Kong Wen]

2023 PROGRESS

FINISHED:

01-15 - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward (PS5)
01-20 - Firewatch (PS4 via PS5)
01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)
01-25 - Wandersong (PS4 via PS5)
01-30 - Adventures of Pip (PS4 via PS5)
02-03 - Doki-Doki Universe (PS4 via PS5)
02-05 - Flower (PS4 via PS5)
02-10 - Pic-a-Pix Color (PS4 via PS5)
02-15 - Puyo Puyo Tetris (PS4 via PS5)
02-18 - Valiant Hearts: The Great War (PS4 via PS5)
02-21 - マリオのスーパーピクロス [Mario's Super Picross] (SFC via Switch)
03-07 - Gris (PS5)
03-08 - A Short Hike (PS4 via PS5)
03-15 - Tembo the Badass Elephant (PS4 via PS5)
03-19 - Pokémon Blue Version (GB via Analogue Pocket)
03-22 - Super Mario Land (GB via Analogue Pocket)
03-28 - Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (GB via NSO)
04-05 - Kirby's Dream Land (GB via NSO)
04-06 - Baba Is You (Switch)
05-05 - Picross S Genesis & Master System Edition (Switch)
07-14 - Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
09-11 - Langrisser I (PS4 via PS5)
09-12 - Langrisser I (PS4 via PS5)
09-16 - Final Fantasy VII: Remake (PS4 via PS5) - Hard Mode
11-01 - Dr. Mario 64 (N64 via NS) - Easy Mode
11-02 - カービィのきらきらきっず [Kirby's Super Star Stacker] (SFC via NS) - Story Mode
11-08 - Lyne (Steam)
11-11 - Fingered (Steam)
11-17 - Evoland (Steam)
11-17 - A Normal Lost Phone (Steam)
11-19 - Please, Don't Touch Anything (Steam)
11-21 - Actual Sunlight (Steam)
11-22 - A Bird Story (Steam)
11-23 - Aperture Desk Job (Steam)
12-11 - Loop Hero (Steam)
12-17 - Carrion (PS5)
12-21 - Unpacking (Steam)
12-27 - Gato Roboto (Steam)
12-27 - Demonology 101 (itch.io)

COMPLETE:

01-20 - Firewatch (PS5)
01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)
01-25 - Wandersong (PS4 via PS5)
01-30 - Adventures of Pip (PS4 via PS5)
02-03 - Doki-Doki Universe (PS4 via PS5)
02-05 - Flower (PS4 via PS5)
02-10 - Pic-a-Pix Color (PS4 via PS5)
02-15 - Puyo Puyo Tetris (PS4 via PS5)
02-18 - Valiant Hearts: The Great War (PS4 via PS5)
03-07 - マリオのスーパーピクロス [Mario's Super Picross] (SFC via Switch)
03-07 - Gris (PS5)
03-08 - A Short Hike (PS4 via PS5)
03-15 - Tembo the Badass Elephant (PS4 via PS5)
03-21 - Pokémon Blue Version (GB via Analogue Pocket)
03-22 - Super Mario Land (GB via Analogue Pocket)
03-28 - Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (GB via NSO)
04-05 - Kirby's Dream Land (GB via NSO)
05-17 - Picross S Genesis & Master System Edition (Switch)
09-07 - Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
09-14 - Langrisser I (PS4 via PS5)
09-16 - Final Fantasy VII: Remake (PS4 via PS5)
11-11 - Fingered (Steam)
11-14 - Lyne (Steam)
11-17 - Evoland (Steam)
11-17 - A Normal Lost Phone (Steam)
11-20 - Please, Don't Touch Anything (Steam)
11-21 - Actual Sunlight (Steam)
11-22 - A Bird Story (Steam)
11-23 - Aperture Desk Job (Steam)
12-17 - Carrion (PS5)
12-18 - Loop Hero (Steam)
12-21 - Unpacking (Steam)
12-27 - Gato Roboto (Steam)

MASTERED:

03-07 - マリオのスーパーピクロス [Mario's Super Picross] (SFC via Switch)
05-17 - Picross S Genesis & Master System Edition (Switch)

PLATINUM:

01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)
02-10 - Pic-a-Pix Color (PS4 via PS5)
02-16 - Puyo Puyo Tetris (PS4 via PS5)
03-07 - Gris (PS5)
03-08 - A Short Hike (PS4 via PS5)
09-07 - Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)
09-16 - Final Fantasy VII: Remake (PS4 via PS5)
09-17 - Final Fantasy VII: Remake Intergrade (PS5)
12-17 - Carrion (PS5)

PROGRESS   2020   2021   2022   2023
Finished     10      2     10     39
Complete      3      1      8     33
Mastered      1      1      1      2
Platinum      2      0      2      9

PREVIOUS   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014   2015   2016   2017   2018   2019
Finished     36     59     57     96     58      7     14     17     17     11
Complete     12     27     27     46     28      7     10      9     11     10
Mastered      1      0      1      3      2      1      0      4      2      1
Platinum      5      3      2     13      8      3      4      5      5      4

2023-12-27 - Demonology 101 (itch.io) - A minuscule detective game originally made for a jam, where you summon a demon and have to cross-reference facts from a manual to guess their names. Has a couple cute little gimmicks.

2023-12-27 - Gato Roboto (Steam) - Cute, short, linear game, heavily inspired by Metroid, about a cat in a mech suit. Nuff said.

2023-12-17 - Carrion (PS5) - More puzzly and less eatin'-dudesy than I thought, a pleasant surprise! By the end, I started sparing the ones who didn't attack me, because I felt too bad for them.

2023-12-11 - Loop Hero (Steam) - I was expecting this to be a little casual indie time-waster, but it turned out to be quite an involved 50-hour existentialist cosmic RPG. Great setup/premise, fun execution, and nice ending! I'm just grinding for 5 more alternate endings / dialogue options, maxing out my base, and looking for secrets.


To avoid clutter, I'll keep my mini-summaries/pseudo-reviews in my monthly update summary posts:
January // February // March // April // May // June // July // August // September // October // November // December

[SkyPikachu]

Last Edit: 5th Jan 2024

2023 PROGRESS

FINISHED:
02-Jan Crypt of the NecroDancer
05-Jan Splatoon 3
15-Jan Kena: Bridge of Spirits
16-Jan Spirit of the North
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome
18-Jan Cuphead
19-Jan Alba - A Wildlife Adventure
24-Jan Lego Builders Journey
27-Jan Worms Blast
30-Jan Breath of Death VII
03-Feb Doom [Ultimate]
05-Feb Kao the Kangaroo Round 2
12-Feb Baba is You
13-Feb Mario Kart: Super Circuit
14-Feb Kuru Kuru Kururin
19-Feb Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage
22-Feb Cluster Truck Halloween/Holiday DLC
23-Feb Cluster Truck
29-May Metroid Fusion
07-June Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
09-June Pikmin
14-June Pikmin 2
11-July Divinity Original Sin II: Definitive Edition
25-July Pikmin 4
30-July FTL: Faster Than Light
29-Aug Baldur's Gate III
06-Oct Pokémon Yellow
12-Oct Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
16-Oct Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
10-Nov Risk of Rain Returns


COMPLETE:

05-Jan Splatoon 3
06-Jan Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome
19-Jan Alba - A Wildlife Adventure
24-Jan Lego Builders Journey
05-Feb Kao the Kangaroo Round 2
21-Feb Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage
04-Mar Mini Motorways
09-June Pikmin
14-June Pikmin 2


———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2020
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0030 - 0017 - 0028 - 0023
Complete - 0010 - 0005 - 0006 - 0006
———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0030 - 0049 - 0021 - 0009 - 0013
Complete - 0005 - 0007 - 0002 - 0001 - 0004
———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0008 - 0012 - 0020 - 0025 - ????
Complete - 0003 - 0002 - 0005 - 0004 - ????
———————————————————————————————————————————

[Sharecrow]

First beat of the year!

+ Outlsst II (Nightmare mode) - PS4

2023 total games beaten = 1 (0 new)
2022 total games beaten = 35 (26 new)
2021 total games beaten = 18 (12 new)
2020 total games beaten = 26 (16 new)
2019 total games beaten = 28 (20 new)
2018 total games beaten = 29 (16 new)
2017 total games beaten = 25 (22 new)
2016 total games beaten = 38 (21 new)
2015 total games beaten = 25
2014 total games beaten = 35
2013 total games beaten = 17
2012 total games beaten = 37
2011 total games beaten = 35

[SkyPikachu]

Crypt of the NecroDancer - Bought this year's ago and found it complex so shelfed it but I came back to it recently and had a blast. Really fun and really hard. My only complaint was my game crashed when I beat the story so it didn't save. It's a super hard final level/boss so I didn't want to try again for something I'd already done. Especially if it crashed again.

Splatoon 3 - (Singleplayer) Clearly not the focus point of the franchise. A lot of the levels were easy then there were the odd level that was hard. Level scaling in that sense felt weird. Was alright though.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits - Fun, beautiful and challenging game. Everything I wanted from it.

Spirit of the North - Glad I got it for free. Game has it moments but the ending and start fall falt and make the game really boring. Middle part is fun.

Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome - Waste of time. Short and some of the puzzles are not explain well. Again glad it was free.

2023 PROGRESS

FINISHED:
02-Jan Crypt of the NecroDancer
05-Jan Splatoon 3
15-Jan Kena: Bridge of Spirits
16-Jan Spirit of the North
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome


COMPLETE:

05-Jan Splatoon 3
06-Jan Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome


———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2020
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0005 - 0016 - 0028 - 0023
Complete - 0003 - 0005 - 0006 - 0006
———————————————————————————————————————————

[Sharecrow]

Outlast II (Nightmare mode) - PS4

+ Life is Strange: True Colors - PS5


2023 total games beaten = 2 (1 new)
2022 total games beaten = 35 (26 new)
2021 total games beaten = 18 (12 new)
2020 total games beaten = 26 (16 new)
2019 total games beaten = 28 (20 new)
2018 total games beaten = 29 (16 new)
2017 total games beaten = 25 (22 new)
2016 total games beaten = 38 (21 new)
2015 total games beaten = 25
2014 total games beaten = 35
2013 total games beaten = 17
2012 total games beaten = 37
2011 total games beaten = 35

[Claytone]

Beaten:
01/21 - Tempest 4000 (Xbone)

Now linking the blog posts in the list itself. T4K rocks!

Completed:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - 2020 - 2021 - 2022 - 2023
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0024 - 0041 - 0034 - 0022 - 0025 - 0014 - 0019 - 0025 - 0038 - 0060 - 0042 - 0001
Complete - 0000 - 0004 - 0005 - 0001 - 0002 - 0001 - 0002 - 0002 - 0006 - 0006 - 0005 - 0000
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

[The Shoemaker]

Finished:
Jan 29. Splatoon 3

Finally got around to the story mode for Splatoon 3 after playing almost all multiplayer. Best story mode of the 3 games, comparable to the Octo Expansion from splat 2 but a bit better in scope, not quite in difficulty. This overall felt like an actual story so that was nice. Good lore implications.

[SkyPikachu]

Back end of January reviews.

Cuphead - Really hard but really enjoyable platformer. Very unforgiving. Fairly polished but I did get annoyed at times with certain bosses. Highly recommend.

Alba - A Wildlife Adventure - Freebie from epic games store that I ended up really enjoying. Very charming game where you go around logging/taking photos of animals on the island. My only complaint is that the game is very bird heavy instead of having a range of wildlife. I guess that's accurate to real life though. Especially considering it's an island town.

Lego Builders Journey - Got this for free. Wasn't what I expected and for that I was disappointed but for what it was it was a fun little puzzle game. It looked amazing on my partners PC though since it was showing off raytracing.

Worms Blast - GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH this game is so janky and hard to control. I raged so often at this and it's so unforgiving in the worst kind of way. It's been on my backlog for ages though so glad I can tick it off.

Breath of Death VII - This game was dumb but that was the point. Very 90s RPG vibes very short. Since it was a 2010 release I would have liked for the UI to be better and explain things more but alas it was still decent.

2023 PROGRESS

FINISHED:
02-Jan Crypt of the NecroDancer
05-Jan Splatoon 3
15-Jan Kena: Bridge of Spirits
16-Jan Spirit of the North
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome
18-Jan Cuphead
19-Jan Alba - A Wildlife Adventure
24-Jan Lego Builders Journey
27-Jan Worms Blast
30-Jan Breath of Death VII


COMPLETE:

05-Jan Splatoon 3
06-Jan Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland
17-Jan Nubarron: The adventure of an unlucky gnome
19-Jan Alba - A Wildlife Adventure
24-Jan Lego Builders Journey


———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2020
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0010 - 0016 - 0028 - 0023
Complete - 0005 - 0005 - 0006 - 0006
———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0030 - 0049 - 0021 - 0009 - 0013
Complete - 0005 - 0007 - 0002 - 0001 - 0004
———————————————————————————————————————————
Progress - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010
———————————————————————————————————————————
Finished - 0008 - 0012 - 0020 - 0025 - ????
Complete - 0003 - 0002 - 0005 - 0004 - ????
———————————————————————————————————————————

[Kong Wen]

I've been making my updates via edits in my original post, but since January is over, I guess this is a good time for a summary update.

In January, I managed to beat 5 games, 4 of them full completion, with 0 re-beats, and I also gained one Platinum trophy. This is enough to put me on pace for my best year of the decade so far if I can keep it up. (I'll compare against my previous decade—which I trimmed out of my main post to prevent clutter—later this year.)

I still have a couple of little indie games from back in the PS3-to-PS4 days that I started up and abandoned when moving over to the new system that I have a renewed motivation to finish off, so I'll keep chipping away at those in between Ogre battles.

2023 PROGRESS

FINISHED:

01-15 - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward (PS5)
01-20 - Firewatch (PS4 via PS5)
01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)
01-25 - Wandersong (PS4 via PS5)
01-30 - Adventures of Pip (PS4 via PS5)
02-03 - Doki-Doki Universe (PS4 via PS5)

COMPLETE:

01-20 - Firewatch (PS5)
01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)
01-25 - Wandersong (PS4 via PS5)
01-30 - Adventures of Pip (PS4 via PS5)
02-03 - Doki-Doki Universe (PS4 via PS5)

MASTERED:

PLATINUM:

01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5)

PROGRESS   2020   2021   2022   2023
Finished     10      2     10      6
Complete      3      1      8      5
Mastered      1      1      1      0
Platinum      2      0      2      1

2023-02-03 - Doki-Doki Universe (PS4 via PS5) - A cute little bite-sized fetch quest puzzle game. I booted it up back in the Vita days and left it unbeaten, so it seemed like some good backlog cleanup.

2023-01-30 - Adventures of Pip (PS4 via PS5) - You know what, I give this game credit. It's just a little throw-away platformer, super easy, cashes in on retro stylin', but it doesn't try to be one of those hellish super-difficult precision platformers. Each stage is short and doesn't outstay its welcome. The whole game is short, and you can tackle it in small bites. Not a great game, but not an actively bad one like Mutant Mudds.

2023-01-25 - Wandersong (PS4 via PS5) - I heard great things about it but it was kind of overhyped. It was a cute little game with a cute story, but unfortunately it was hampered by its gameplay. Platforming sections ended up being pretty tedious. I found it pretty aesthetically unpleasant for the most part. It was over-enamoured with its own characters to the extent that the ending is a lengthy montage of reflecting back on all the beloved people you met for 15 seconds along the way.

2023-01-22 - TOEM: A Photo Adventure (PS5) - This was one of the PlayStation Plus freebies from September 2022, and I was in the mood for what looked like a relaxing/chill game after pounding through a few stages of Tactics Ogre: Reborn. This fit the bill perfectly! It's a cute little puzzle adventure / fetch quest game where your little dude goes around and takes pictures of stuff and solves the locals' problems. I don't think I'd recommend it for the full $30 asking price, but if you picked it up on PS+ already or it drops under $10, don't sleep on it.

2023-01-20 - Firewatch (PS4 via PS5) - A cute little first-person adventure game with some mounting tension in a relatively short package, driven by two good, engaging characters. Maybe a 4-5-hour, one-sitting experience if you go through all the dialogue (recommended).

2023-01-15 - Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward (PS5) - Good expansion, even if, as a longtime fan of the series, I noticed a lot of borrowed elements from previous games. Not surprising for two reasons, the first being that this was largely developed by the Ivalice team that worked on Final Fantasy Tactics (hello Zodiac Braves and Elidibs) and the second being that, well... re-enacting everything else in Final Fantasy history is pretty much the whole point of this game. It's heartening to know that the team responsible for this expansion has all gone to work on the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI. Looking forward to that one. Anyway, onward to another filler patch and then Stormblood!

[Kong Wen]

Since I'm on a backlog-destroying quest at the start of this year, I've edited my previous decade's numbers back into my main post. This will help me keep track of relative/comparative progress over previous years.