For the week of January 22 through 28
Click here to see the games I played last week.
My European adventure is almost done, but I’m still playing most of my games on the Nintendo Switch, Analogue Pocket, and my Android Phone. This week features a game that surprised me and one that disappointed me.
January 22 – Hidden Through Time
Wanting to play a few different games available through the Google Play Pass service, I decided to try a few “outside-the-box games”. Hidden Through Time is essentially a “Where’s Waldo” where you must find a set number of objects to progress. Every subsequent level has you locating more and more harder-to-find items.
This wasn’t bad, but it didn’t hold my interest for long. I played through about a half-dozen levels and then felt content with my experience. There are many more of these types of games available on Google Play, I don’t see myself playing more of these unless I find one that is creative.
January 23 – Scott Pilgrim Vs The World – The Game
I loved the original Scott Pilgrim comic and I was a huge fan of the 2008 film. Oddly enough, I never actually played the video game of the movie until now. I never had the original version, but I picked up the updated Switch version a while ago but it wasn’t until I was on vacation that I jumped into it.
The game is ok, but nothing memorable. The first stage left way too long. It honestly felt like I spent a good 30 minutes to reach Matthew Pattel, the first of Ramona’s Exes. Maybe this is better played with friends as the solo experience couldn’t keep me going. I might be willing to give this another go sometime down the road. For now, I’ll move on to something I’d enjoy more.
January 24 – Bruce Lee: Return of the Legend
Few individuals fascinate me to the point that I’m actively looking to consume their previous content. Anthony Bourdain tops that list but Bruce Lee is a close second. Over the last year or so, I’ve tried my best to watch all his movies. I’ve also read his biography and even his daughter’s book on her father’s views of life. When it comes to games, outside of his appearances in the EA SPORTS UFC games, I don’t have any experience there.
I vaguely remember the original Xbox (Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon) but I had no idea there was a Game Boy Advance game, Bruce Lee: Return of the Legend. So, I downloaded a ROM and added it to my Analogue Pocket. Let me say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I was initially having.
This is your standard side-scrolling action game with a very typical 70s Martial Arts storyline. But for its cheesy plot, it has some really interesting sections. The only downside to the game is that I find the controls to be a bit frustrating at times. I’m not sure if it’s the stiffness of the Analogue Pocket or just the responsiveness of a 20-year-old game, but I regularly struggle to perform certain actions, leading to my death.
I’ve played this for a few days now. I’m getting close to the finale, so I’d love maybe do a blog post on Bruce Lee and video games in the future.
January 25 – Another Code: Recollection
Having never played the Nintendo DS original, this was something I heard about but never considered playing. But after dabbling with a few visual novels over the last few years, I thought I’d give this a shot.
This isn’t a visual novel but the game’s first chapter is light on things you do. However, I am interested in the ghost plotline and our heroine’s history. I suspect there is a deeper connection that gets revealed as the story progresses.
January 26 – Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion
With the sequel now out, I thought it would be fun to try the first game in the Turnip Boy series. This is a Zelda-like with a really interesting world so far. The first “dungeon” wasn’t too difficult but playing this on a mobile device probably isn’t ideal. I may consider sampling Robs a Bank in the future as it’s a completely different genre.
January 27 – Magic: The Gathering – Puzzle Quest
Today was my Niece’s christening so I was short on games I could play. I decided on another mobile title, this time around the world of Magic: The Gathering. This first little bit of this game is pretty easy, as you’d expect with most free-to-play titles. As someone who isn’t into Magic, a lot of the lore goes over my head, but I can still grasp the mechanics, which focus on match three.
Not sure if I’ll come back but it was nice to get a bit outside of the familiar.
January 28 – Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
I got to the third act of the first Mario + Rabbids. I liked the turn-based tactics but the story didn’t grip me. There was a lot of buzz behind the sequel and as it’s regularly on sale, I picked this up and began playing it.
At first, I wasn’t feeling it. The game’s first impressions make it feel like a step back. The cutscenes don’t have the same impact as other Mario games. Also, the first few battles only include two characters, which made me think they scaled back the combat.
But, that third character does get added, introducing a new character. That’s where I stopped. I was enjoying the combat but I did struggle to keep my characters alive, especially in the battle with the first major boss you encounter. The “open-world” aspects allow you to wander the world and trigger random side battles to improve your crew. I can see myself playing this a bit more if I’m not occupied with something else.