The Hot Topic Returns

[shinymcshine]

Driveclub is a weird one, in so much, a bit like No Man's Sky, it didn't get a great initial reception - but the devs stuck with it and dropped more content and tweaked it, and eventually the game, somewhat enhanced from the original, flourished.

 

So if you compare it's release version to its final state, it sort of already got a "sequel".

[Maryokutai]

22 minutes ago, OCH said:

Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage

 

That actually got a Japan-exclusive sequel on PS2 if I remember correctly.

 

I did think of another one though: Kameo. I'd hardly call the first one a one-hit wonder and didn't even like it that much, but it seemed like a good template and the concept art they showed of the planned sequel looked really interesting. It's a shame that fell victim to the Kinect Rare dark ages.

 

I also agree with Driveclub. I think that was the last big AAA racing game I enjoyed. No nonsensical open world or five-thousand different currencies or live service nonsense. Just a classic 'pick your car, pick your track and go' kind of game.

[one-armed dwarf]

Dangerman bought that a while back I think, I watched a video on it before and it looks really good. Very weighty physics to its combat

 

You'd have to download a translation patch for it tho, and play on a hacked PS2 or emulator.

[OCH]

14 minutes ago, Maryokutai said:

That actually got a Japan-exclusive sequel on PS2 if I remember correctly.

We didn't even get that one either. So technically both count here. As the Japanese title resumes the plot of the mainline series. Whereas the Dreamcast game was a side story that roughly takes place between volume 22 & 23 of the manga.

[Sly Reflex]

Psi Ops and Metal Arms: Glitch in the System for me. It's a crime we never saw more of either of these titles.

[Metroid66]

i-ninja. 

[DANGERMAN]

3 hours ago, OCH said:

We didn't even get that one either. So technically both count here. As the Japanese title resumes the plot of the mainline series. Whereas the Dreamcast game was a side story that roughly takes place between volume 22 & 23 of the manga.

yeah, The PS2 game (from what I remember) is more tied to the manga. The Dreamcast game, despite what Miura said, doesn't really fit in the timeline. Both are worth playing mind

[radiofloyd]

There are games that have gotten sequels but the sequels were so dramatically different that the originals feel standalone - eg the first Jak and Daxter. That was a beautiful game, a great showcase for the PS2. But in hindsight it was almost a swansong for the 3D platformer genre.

 

The point and click genre has some wonderful games that have never received sequels. Or at least, games with the number 2 on them. Sam and Max Hit the Road and The Last Express are two of the best games I’ve ever played.

[shinymcshine]

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth - was due to get a couple of sequels; Destiny's End / Tainted Legacy; and Beyond the Mountains of Madness.

 

Both games were in development alongside DCotE but were sadly left unfinished when Headfirst went bust.

[Jimboxy]

2 hours ago, radiofloyd said:

That was a beautiful game, a great showcase for the PS2. But in hindsight, it was almost a swansong for the 3D platformer genre.

Nah, dude, loads of great 3d platform games have come after Jak & Daxter. All the Mario games from Sunshine onwards for a start.

 

It did feel like the end of an era for Naughty  Dog though, Jak 2 felt very different in tone and after that, it's uncharted and Last of Us

[DANGERMAN]

That Marsupilami game from the other year should get a sequel 

[Nag]

 

Quote

Readers reveal the games they’d give top marks to, including Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and XCOM 2.

 

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Lombert, who wanted to know what being 10/10 means to you and how many flaws a game can have before you discount it.

 

We’d asked readers to avoid mentioning Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom, as it was too obvious a choice, but there were a lot of Nintendo games anyway, with Dark Souls also coming up a lot.

 

[OCH]

LTTP is probably the game I would give highest marks to as an entry in the Zelda series. It's as close to perfect as it could be. Much like how I would point to Super Mario World as the best 2D platformer you could play. Weird how Nintendo knocked it out of the park with these two in their first SNES entries?

 

Similarly, as far as Square's output goes, Vagrant Story is just that good too. Some of my old favourites too.. Hitman: Blood Money, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, REmake 1, DQ8, Banjo-Kazooie, MvC2, Binding of Isaac, Vandal Hearts and more that will come to me later, I'm sure.

To me that's what top marks represent. That you can present That game to anyone, without context or prior knowledge and they will enjoy the experience.

[mfnick]

Super Meat Boy 

[OCH]

12 minutes ago, mfnick said:

Super Meat Boy 

Good Choice!

 

..And another game I've left half-finished🙄

[Maryokutai]

If you try to go at it somewhat objectively, as futile as that might be, and you look at 10/10 games as the most optimal execution of a genuinely good idea and vision a team has, at that moment in time, I'd say there's a few obvious candidates here, like RE4 (the original), Ikaruga, F-Zero GX, the first Bayonetta maybe as well. And Tetris, of course. But it's too easy to just fall into the habit of naming your favourites and too nonsensical to try putting objective values on subjective enjoyment.

[one-armed dwarf]

Question says no TOTK but says nothing about BOTW, that's a 10 imo and better than TOTK as well.

 

I'd also give Morrowind a 10, better than Skyrim and Oblivion.

 

Re4 is also a 10 and I think both the VR port and overhauled remake support how timeless its encounter design and pacing is, in the case of the latter it's cause the best parts are lifted straight from it.

 

 

[OCH]

1 hour ago, Maryokutai said:

you look at 10/10 games as the most optimal execution of a genuinely good idea and vision a team has, at that moment in time,

Demon's Souls. The only one of the four Souls game to receive 10/10.

45 minutes ago, one-armed dwarf said:

but says nothing about BOTW, that's a 10 imo and better than TOTK as well.

[HandsomeDead]

I just don't like applying a linear grading to any creative work, it's just reductive.  But if I had to I'd apply it to most of my favourite games because they are obviously hitting all of my subjective buttons that are important to me.  That's not really that helpful to anyone else though, and if you articulate yourself properly you don't need a grade.

 

Too much boring discourse formulates around them as well.  Audiences putting too much stock in them, even professional reviewers being dumb with them, and how they're reduced to a marketing tool.

 

And like, Killer7 is a favourite of mine and I could say it's a 10/10 and offer a review supporting that, and I could also do the same giving it a 6/10 while being honest and not leaving stuff out for both.  So I guess I get left with the question of what motivated that final score? I don't assume dishonesty, but something motivated it (expectations, peer or audience pressure, all may even be subconscious).  I think I just prefer scores not being there and criticism and discourse not revolving around them so much.

[spatular]

Yeah super meat boy is a good shout. Also for platformers id go with donkey kong jungle beats, replayed that a few times and every time its amazing. Tetris is a good shout too. Some more for me - Rock band 3, persona 4 dancing all night, Pgr 4, mario kart 8, rez, dishonoured 2, ketsui, mushihimesama futari, beat saber.

yeah i guess it is just a list of favourite games but i guess with trying to think which ones couldnt be any better or only have minor problems vs ones that i like despite the problems. Like destiny, gravity rush, and mirrors edge i really like but they have problems.

 

some that would get full marks back in the day from me but not sure they would now like deus ex, halo 3, gp2, toca 2, cmr 2.