Archive for the Lists Category

2024 In Music

Posted in Blog, Lists, Music on January 17, 2024 by slateman

I still haven’t written up my best of 2023 yet, despite my listing being done, but for now, just a look ahead to the music in 2024. As always, for my purposes alone. Thanks, also as always, goes to Metalstorm’s upcoming list.

09 Feb: Chapel Of Disease – Echoes Of Light
23 Feb: Borknagar – Fall
01 Mar: Ministry – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
01 Mar: Bruce Dickinson – The Mandrake Project
08 Mar: Judas Priest – Invincible Shield
22 Mar: Alestorm – Voyage Of The Dread Marauder
05 Apr: Korpiklaani – Rankarumpu
19 Apr: My Dying Bride – A Mortal Binding
15 May: Kerry King – From Hell I Rise
21 Jun: Alcest – Les Chants de l’Aurore
30 Aug: Wintersun – Time II
TBA: Vintersorg

Wish List

What am I hoping to see this year? Just some ideas, though other than Moonsorrow, don’t know how much I care.

  • Moonsorrow (my ultimate wish)
  • Exodus
  • Skeletonwitch
  • Temple

2023: A Year In Games

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, DoDon Pachi, Games, Lists, Personal, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Ys on December 27, 2023 by slateman

2023 is wrapping up with many critics claiming it resides shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best years in gaming history. My experience isn’t quite so stellar, but

Let’s go through some lists starting with titles that were released before 2023, all while realizing that the true best game I played this past year was Bloodborne!

Older Games Played:

  • Dark Souls III
  • A Plague Tale: Innocence
  • SteamWorld Dig
  • SteamWorld Dig 2
  • Rogue Legacy 2
  • Neon White
  • Lunistice

Of those titles, I completed the 2D ones only. While I had played Rogue Legacy 2 on Steam the prior year, it was only when I got it for free on PS+, and could play from my couch, that I beat it. Admittedly, I lowered the difficulty to blaze through chunks that I had beaten before. In some ways this game is perfect: allowing for those changes to difficulty, a fantastic gameplay loop and incredibly-tight and responsive controls. Several of the theme songs stuck in my head for quite some time and it was a fun experience. However, my Old Game Of The Year, if that were a category, would go to SteamWorld Dig 2. It’s so funny, I got a trophy in the first game way back in 2013 and I remember playing it and abandoning it. No clue what drove me to return, but once I started, I was hooked. After blazing through the first title, I anxiously awaited a sale price for the second, eventually pulling the trigger without one, that’s how much I liked it. And the sequel did not disappoint, living up to and exceeding my praise of the first. I simply loved that game and, much like the emptiness felt after completing Elden Ring, I continually yearn for a similar experience, with no satisfaction. In fact, if I were ranking the best games of the year regardless of their release date, SteamWorld Dig 2 would be in contention.

The other titles all had qualities of their own, but not enough to keep me returning to them.

Moving along, now we look at titles released this year that I have yet to play in 2023:

  • Alan Wake 2 (Some day I’ll try)
  • Baldur’s Gate 3 (Trial was cool, dunno if it’s for me)
  • Blasphemous 2 (Curious, not much more)
  • Cocoon (Hmmm)
  • Dead Space (Maybe an ‘on-sale’ game)
  • Diablo 4 (Trial run, felt like D3, really)
  • Hi-Fi Rush (Maybe when I get an Xbox!)
  • Octopath Traveler 2 (Never played the first)
  • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Lost interest in the first)
  • The Talos Principle 2 (Never beat the first)
  • Viewfinder (Demo was fun!)

There are a few games I’d like to try, but none here give me the burning desire to jump in. Games like Pikmin and Fire Emblem may be great, but do I care? Nothing above are a have to play game, despite how good BG3 appears to be.

Our final category is the games I have indeed played this year, and ranking them isn’t very easy.

2023 Games:

  • Final Fantasy XVI
  • The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
  • Lies Of P
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Sea Of Stars
  • Street Fighter 6
  • Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  • Xenotilt

As I work through Lies Of P and Sea Of Stars, I quite like the former due to its obvious inspirations and feel indifferent towards the latter. I beat neither Zelda, much as I didn’t its predecessor, nor FFXVI, losing interest after numerous hours.

Thus, we’ve whittled down the list to four games, all sequels. As much as I love Mario games – and I do like the franchise – nothing about Wonder stood out to me, despite what everyone else thinks.

And then there were three. Xenotilt probably improves on everything in Demon’s Tilt. As DT is in my top-20 ever, I struggle to wonder which should be on that list. In either event: it’s not 2023’s GOTY.

Capcom ends up holding the trophy, as the remaining games are both theirs. And this decision is a difficult one. By all accounts, Resident Evil 4 should do what no game has ever done: won the trophy as both an original release and a remake! But while it effectively replaces the original, I think I have to give it to Street Fighter 6. The gameplay is honed. The systems are polished. The game is just fun and it’s the best launch-SF game since SFII. I absolutely love this title and have no reservations awarding it GOTY, even if RE4 is as good as it is – DLC included!

So there it is: Game Of The Year 2023 is Street Fighter 6!

The Best Of 2022: My Lists

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Lists, Music, Personal on January 1, 2023 by slateman

Following tradition, my list of albums of the year have been posted, with Denmark scoring the highest honors for the first time in several decades. For this blog, however, I’m just going to post some lists.

Best Songs:
1) Svartsot: Rottefængeren
2) Andy Gillion: Game Over
3) Soilwork: Övergivenheten
4) The Halo Effect: Shadowminds
5) White Ward: Leviathan

Best Albums:
12) Ghost: Impera
11) Amorphis: Halo
10) Megadeth: The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!
9) Hällas: Isle Of Wisdom
8) Amon Amarth: The Great Heathen Army
7) White Ward: False Light
6) Arch Enemy: Deceivers
5) Saor: Origins
4) The Halo Effect: Days Of The Lost
3) Soilwork: Övergivenheten
2) Andy Gillion: Arcade Metal
1) Svartsot: Kumbl

Best Videogames:
#3: God Of War: Ragnarök
#2: Vampire Survivors
#1: Elden Ring

Best TV Shows:
#9: The Bear (S1)
#8: Murderville (S1)
#7: The Patient (S1)
#6: Dead To Me (S3*)
#5: Bridgerton (S2)
#4: Ozark (S4*)
#3: Stranger Things (S4)
#2: The White Lotus (S2)
#1: Severance (S1)

My Accomplishments:
3×3 Record: 26.46
6×6 Record: 11:11.38
Megaminx Record: 4:16.92
Regular Astrominx: Solved!

2023 In Music

Posted in Blog, Lists, Music on November 12, 2022 by slateman

I think 2022 turned out to be a pretty kick-ass year for music, with a particularly-tremendous August (Amon Amarth, Einherjer, Arch Enemy, The Halo Effect and Soilwork all within 14 days!!!) Can 2023 compare? Who knows, it’s still just November. Here’s my upcoming list, with the usual help from Metalstorm’s upcoming release list.

13 Jan – Obituary: Dying Of Everything (*shrug*)
20 Jan – Katatonia: Sky Void Of Stars
10 Feb – In Flames: Foregone
24 Feb – Insomnium: Anno 1696
03 Mar – Enslaved: Heimdal
09 Mar – Wintersun: Warning
14 Apr – Metallica: 72 Seasons
14 Apr – Overkill: Scorched
17 Apr – Rodrigo Y Gabriela: In Between Thoughts…A New World
18 May – Ghost: Phantomime
25 May – Immortal: War Against All
25 May – Kalmah: Kalmah
02 Jun – Omnium Gatherum: Slasher
09 Jun – Godflesh: Purge
29 Sep – KK’s Priest: The Sinner Rides Again
06 Oct – October Tide: The Cancer Pledge
13 Oct – Sulphur Aeon: Seven Crowns And Seven Seals
13 Oct – Amorphis: Queen Of Time – Live At Tavastia 2021

Gaming In 2022

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Lists on October 1, 2022 by slateman

For me, 2022 has been a strange year for gaming. The shining highlight, Elden Ring, was a perfect 10 in my eyes and after dumping 100+ hours into it, I walked away, looking forward to my next gaming experience. Unfortunately, nothing since has lived up and very few things have really even caught my fascination. I grabbed Horizon: Forbidden West but after a half-dozen hours, I simply didn’t care and had no real desire to play more. Far Cry 6 was meh. I beat Deathloop and Death’s Door – both pretty cool titles and I signed up for the new Playstation Plus which gave me access to scores of games, though I’ve hardly spent much time on any. Through the service I did get platinum trophies in Intelligent Qube and later Minit – the latter of which was honestly a fantastic experience.

I finally installed The Last Of Us Part II and its obnoxious 200Gb SSD requirement and the game was tremendous. It looks fantastic and the gameplay improved on the first entry in almost every way. However, it was another game to which, upon completing, I knew I’d never return. I purchased Modern Warfare for cheap and after the same hard-drive space demands, I swiftly deleted the game, likely never to revisit.

While I was utterly fascinated with Kingdom: Two Crowns for a week, I fell off and Shovel Knight Dig, while great, didn’t lure me to return after completing it. The one other title in 2022 which is worth mentioning is Vampire Survivors – another 10/10 game. Its bare-bones visuals aside, I was captivated throughout the summer, learning weapon combos, slaying tens of thousands of enemies inn the game that made me feel more OP than almost any before it. I could’ve sworn I posted pics/review of this game – I guess not!

For the remainder of the year, my big game is the obvious: God Of War: Ragnarök. The last was my Game Of The Year 2018. That vs. Elden Ring. Gonna be hard to beat, honestly.

Beaten

  • Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare
  • Elden Ring
  • Intelligent Qube (PS1)
  • Minit
  • Shovel Knight Dig
  • Vampire Survivors

Played a lot of

  • Horizon Forbidden West
  • KeyWe
  • Kingdom: Two Crowns
  • PGA Tour 2K21
  • Returnal

2023 looks promising with Capcom’s Street Fighter VI and Resident Evil 4 leading my must-have list alongside PSVR2. All will likely land around the same time, unfortunately. Diablo IV is on the list too.

Upcoming Shows 2022

Posted in Best / Worst, Lists, Music on March 30, 2022 by slateman

I can’t believe it, but I have an upcoming shows list for 2022! How remarkable! OK, so it’s only four shows, but – who cares!!!

30 Apr – Testament / Exodus / Death Angel – Sayreville, NJ
12 May – Amorphis – Baltimore, MD
24 Sep – Elton John – Washington, DC
14 Oct – Wardruna – Washington, DC

2022 In Music

Posted in Blog, Lists, Music on December 30, 2021 by slateman

Just some upcoming music release dates for personal reference!

07 Jan – Wilderun: Epigone
04 Feb – Korn: Requiem
11 Feb – Amorphis: Halo
11 Mar – Ghost: Impera
25 Feb – Hammerfall: Hammer Of Dawn
25 Feb – Svartsot: Kumbl
25 Mar – Eucharist: I Am The Void
25 Mar – Abbath: Dread Reaver
08 Apr – Hällas: Isle Of Wisdom
08 Apr – Joe Satriani: The Elephants Of Mars
22 Apr – Faun: Pagan
22 Apr – Wardruna: Kvitravn – First Flight Of The White Raven
10 Jun – Anathema: A Vision Of A Dying Embrace
10 Jun – Kreator: Hate Über Alles
24 Jun – Alestorm: Seventh Rum Of A Seventh Rum
22 Jul – Witchery: Nightside
29 Aug – Dimmu Borgir: Northern Forces Over Wacken
05 Aug – Amon Amarth: The Great Heathen Army
05 Aug – Einherjer: Norse And Dangerous (Live…From The Land Of Legends)
12 Aug – Arch Enemy: Deceivers
12 Aug – The Halo Effect: Days Of The Lost
19 Aug – Soilwork: Övergivenheten
02 Sep – Andy Gillion: Arcade Metal
02 Sep – Blind Guardian: The God Machine
02 Sep – Megadeth: The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead!
07 Oct – Lamb Of God: Omens

With help from Metalstorm’s Upcoming Release List.

Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow Thoughts

Posted in Blog, Castlevania, Games, Lists, Retro Games on October 24, 2021 by slateman

I have to say, Castlevania Advance Collection is one of my favorite games of the year, despite the average age of each of its four games being 20+ years old! I purchased this as soon as it came out and I never regretted it once. Jumping into Aria Of Sorrow on the heels of the first two GBA games was a no-brainer.

As this is considered a top=tier Castlevania, it really should stand out among its predecessors, but it’s not as clear and simple in my opinion. Breaking it down – visuals are in some small way a step back from Harmony Of Dissonance, with more subdued environments and less flashy colors. However, it’s more consistent and in no way a downgrade. I found I preferred the gaudy colors and over-the-top animations of the middle game. The interface is cleaner and the new soul system is far better than HOD. Unfortunately, exploration feels a bit stifled again. That crazy nature of Dissonance is lacking here and I missed it.

The music is good again, thus regaining that which was lost after COTM however, it came at the expense of that visual flourish. But while graphics and effects may have stepped back a bit, there were way more items and diverse options throughout which changed up battle substantially. It was a lot more fun with much cooler gear. This diversity led to much more entertaining loot including some truly OP weapons. The soul system was quite cool but of course, grindy. The rewind system helps w/ that. I specifically used that cheat to get some to pass certain areas.

The lack of a dash button and scant few upgrades made traversal feel a bit more of a chore than HOD which was, admittedly, broken. But the upgrades are good and useful. The one castle is better and it’s not designed in a confusing and annoying way. Warping to whichever room you’d like is a nice perk and backtracking is never quite as cumbersome as it was in the past. The game was, by far, a more streamlined experience.

Ultimately, Aria Of Sorrow is a better game than the prior two. The story, while still rather thin, is more engaging and the quality-of-life fixes were welcome. I’m certain I beat this one back in the day, but I definitely didn’t get the good ending. However, despite being better, that doesn’t mean I like it more. I prefer the visual style of HOD and I know I liked several of the NDS entries far more. Altogether, it was a tremendous experience playing these titles back-to-back-to-back. I’ll likely never revisit some of these but I do sincerely hope a NDS collection follows.



Castlevania: Harmony Of Dissonance Thoughts

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Castlevania, Games, Lists, Retro Games on October 11, 2021 by slateman

Immediately after polishing off Circle Of The Moon, I progressed to Harmony Of Dissonance, the GBA’s second installment. Changes are immediately evident: larger sprites, much more colorful visuals, upgraded graphics, new enemies and a more adept protagonist. While the story is ultimately a rehash of CotM, there’s a lot to like here, particularly in comparison to its predecessor. Unfortunately, large chunks of this game have tremendous downsides which make the inferior Circle Of The Moon a comparable title.

As I progressed into the second castle, I made a realization: I almost certainly never beat this game. Stumbling across an old save – it appears the 60% mark was about my limit. If memory serves me right, I revisited it later and felt the same pang of frustration. The game is deliberately obtuse, an old tactic employed to artificially lengthen the game’s duration. Several areas are off-limits, but the map “opens” them up, thereby marking them and making a revisit quite challenging. The rewind feature is spectacular to erase some of those mistakes, but oftentimes a key opens just a very specific door or two with no word of where that might be. The overly-spacious two-castle system compounds this issue as warping is initially slower and more arduous than in the past and there’s an awful lot of running around just to revisit a dead-end you knew about in the past. In fact, things are so spacious that the main goal is to dash through vast swathes of the castle searching for the next extension – unfortunately almost always stumbling upon another wall or impassable segment.

20 years later and with the aid of decades of guides, this task is much simpler, but no less absurd. The enemies themselves are quite diverse, building off of CotM with 3D effects and the like, but despite the size of the bosses and their impressive animations (both attack and death), most felt rather uninspired and far easier to beat. The initial GBA game was a rigorous challenge; this game is not. Once again, you resort to zipping through portions of the castles, here designated as A and B, and even getting hit is rarely a concern. Fortunately, controlling Juste is far more forgiving than Nathan Graves and his animations are substantially more impressive. Those wonderful bosses, added animations and effects come at a hefty cost: the game’s sound. It suffers and contains scant few memorable tunes, a series staple. In fact, the title sounds like an archaic NES game, but even that is too kind, as the songs here don’t contain the standard hook. The shopkeeper’s tune sounds downright ancient and represents one of the weakest set of tunes in any Castlevania ever.

My gripes continue, but Harmony Of Dissonance is generally fun once things get moving. There are a ton of items to collect, different armors and the like, though none are incredibly exciting, and there’s nothing comparable to CotM’s DSS system, unfortunately. Collecting furntire isn’t quite my style. Visually it sings with a huge assortment of backgrounds & colorful enemies: overall it’s a lot of fun to look at. Scouring screenshots is a lot more rewarding than the first GBA game.

As I approach 200%, it’s so interesting to discover (re-remember?) that I never finished this. The era of its arrival was a tumultuous one for me – however, I’m almost certain I completed every subsequent 2D Castlevania on the GBA & NDS. Until I can verify by getting my old-school GBA from Maine, I remain uncertain if I actually beat Dracula in Circle Of The Moon as well! Wouldn’t be surprised if I hadn’t!

As a stepping stone to Aria Of Sorrow, the game really is impressive despite its numerous flaws. I’m tremendously happy I got to revisit this with the assistance of guides, save states and the rewind feature. I am stoked to finish it and to move on to its successor!

Late Update: I’ve now beaten the game and witnessed all three of the title’s endings. My final map count is at 99.7% for each castle, maxing out at 194.4%. I appear to be missing the same number of rooms in each. The two versions of Maxim were uniquely-different fights and the Dracula Wraith final boss was a pretty cool, horrible amalgamation of his body parts (a callback to Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest – much like the Simon Wraith callback to the original Castlevania.)

Upcoming Game Release List

Posted in Blog, Games, Lists on August 29, 2021 by slateman

The usual looking-forward post, this time focusing solely on games. Stars follow the title name – the more, the greater the interest! Let’s do it!

14 Sep – Deathloop – ☆
21 Sep – Kena: Bridge Of Spirits – ☆☆
07 Oct – Far Cry 6 – ☆☆☆
08 Oct – Metroid Dread – ☆
21 Jan – Elden Ring – ☆☆☆☆
18 Feb – Horizon: Forbidden West – ☆☆☆☆
TBA 21 – Puzzle Bobble 3D: Vacation Odyssey – ☆
Spring – Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – ☆☆☆
TBA 22 – God Of War Sequel – ☆☆☆☆☆

In the future, I’m also looking forward to Diablo 4, The Elder Scrolls VI, the Dead Space reboot and the second installment into the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Oh, and the new Skate game. But otherwise, this is a pretty comprehensive list with Elden Ring, Horizon and God Of War topping my most-desired titles.

Conversely, looking back, 2021 hasn’t been a bad year with R-Type Final 2, Resident Evil VIII, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart and Hades all being solid releases.