As we approach the end of the year, I’m changing things up for my weekly blog post. As I try a few more games to consider for my Top 10 list, the next couple of blogs will feature more than one game. With that, I thought it would be nice to share some quick thoughts on the few I played.
MegaBonk
There isn’t too much to say about MegaBonk. Take Vampire Survivors and put it in a 3D-World. That’s the sales pitch, and it’s effective. I’m having a lot of fun. In only a few days, I’ve already spent well over six hours in-game.
The only thing I’m not a fan of is the game’s use of Gen-Z vernacular. It’s easy to look past, but I’m not the target audience for its brand of humor. On the flip side, this is a challenging game. In the six hours with the game, I’ve only once been able to beat a stage boss in the 10-minute time frame. My luck usually runs out either from a swarm of foes early in the round. Or, I get to the 10-minute mark and ghosts appear, which overwhelm me.
I still have a lot more to unlock. There are a dozen characters, and I’ve only found 6-8 of them. There are also a lot of quests/challenges for you to complete. The only way to unlock characters is by completing them. At this rate, I will need another 5-10 hours before I unlock everything.
Lumines Arise
As a long-time fan, I had to pick Lumines Arise before the year ended. If you’ve played a previous Lumines game, this is still the same musical puzzle game. For me, though, I didn’t spend too much time enjoying the soundtrack. Instead, I focused my attention on finishing the game’s Journey mode, so that I could unlock Survival mode.
I’m having a lot of fun, but I picked up the PlayStation version instead of getting this on PC. In the past, I played Lumines on handhelds, so it takes a bit of time to adjust to the game on a 4K TV. One thing that stands out for me is that I sometimes have a hard time distinguishing some of the symbols. For 80% of the game, I can tell the difference, but there are a few stages where I can’t. It can cause some frustration at times, especially when you’re struggling.
Also, since I don’t have a PS VR, I can’t try the game’s virtual reality features. But I do have a PS Portal, so I will play it on that to see how it performs. As long as the latency is low, it should run without problems. In any case, I’m very happy I didn’t wait to play this.
Metroid Prime 4
At the moment, I’ve spent around 3 hours in Metroid Prime 4. Story-wise, I am at the point after you complete the Vi-O-La challenges. I like the way the bike handles, but I want to get out into the world and to explore. The first Metroid Prime is the only other game in the series I played. I never finished it, so my experience with the series isn’t deep. Because of that, I’m able to enjoy this game without the need to compare.
The pacing is a bit strange. I’ve put in three hours, but I haven’t gotten to any of the open-world stuff. The story is linear without any opportunities to explore. I expected that there would be more to explore, but the story structure doesn’t offer that yet. I may be about to open up the game. With the Vi-O-La, I suspect I’ll have the chance to see what else this planet has to offer.
Skate Story
Skate Story is a game I’ve had on my Steam Wishlist since its first reveal. I did my best to avoid spoilers, as I wanted to experience the game without distractions. That’s been a blessing and a curse. I’m not sure if I like the game or not. I am loving the aesthetics, and the music is incredible. On the other side, the story isn’t holding my attention.
From what I’ve read, this isn’t a long game. I should be able to finish it in about 5 to 7 hours. I am starting the game’s third chapter. It seems like there are at least eight chapters. The first two chapters may be slower in tone to get you accustomed to the controls. I hope that is the case because I am enjoying the skating. At this point in the game, I want more freedom to explore, and the environments are small.
At the same time, I can understand others having similar thoughts. While I love the aesthetics, I don’t blame people turned off by it. This is especially true of the story’s structure. The skating is fun, but it’s not deep. This isn’t Skate, nor is it Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. I need a bit more time with the game, and I hope its pacing ramps up soon.
