Game Information

Game Title: Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game Complete Edition
Platforms:

Nintendo Switch (Jan 14, 2021)
Xbox One (Jan 14, 2021)
PlayStation 4 (Jan 14, 2021)

Trailer:

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition Trailer | Ubisoft Forward 2020 | Ubisoft [NA]

Developers: Ubisoft Chengdu, Ubisoft Pune Production, Engine Software, Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 79 average - 71% recommended - 31 reviews

Critic Reviews

Attack of the Fanboy - Dean James - 4 / 5 stars

There may be no new content besides the previous DLC being included, but Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game - Complete Edition takes what was already a really fun beat 'em up and makes it all the more accessible to a whole new generation of gamers.

But Why Tho? - Nikko Soto - 8.5 / 10

I really enjoyed playing Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition. A lot of my excitement for the game came from nostalgia, but playing it ultimately increased the appreciation I had for the original game. With most of the mechanics still the same, it wasn’t too difficult to pick up the game and get used to the controls. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game offers non-stop action with a story that new and old fans will have fun playing.

Cultured Vultures - Ashley Bates - 8.5 / 10

A truly fantastic beat 'em up that's been brought back from the dead, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition is utterly sublime.

Daily Mirror - James Ide - 4 / 5 stars

It leans hard into its comic book and video game influences but also has some clever tricks up its sleeve, which is why it's aged so well and still feels fresh to play.
The game can be frustrating and chaotic at times, and difficulty can be all over the place but grab some friends and you'll fall in lesbians all over again with this brilliant, resurrected classic all over again.

Daily Star - Tom Hutchison - 3 / 5 stars

However for those looking to revisit this game, people with fond memories of a cult classic, they’ll find it a joy still to play and well worth a look.
It plays brilliantly, has a really tough challenge to the gameplay and still inhabits all that charm and uniqueness you remember.

Digital Chumps - Ben Sheene - 9 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition is a faithful port of a 10-year-old game that remains mostly unchanged, mainly because it didn't need to. Thankfully, online and drop-in play give it new life and soften the edge.

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3 / 5 stars

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game — Complete Edition is a much-needed re-release that faithfully preserves the long lost original. The outdated beat-’em-up combat and light features may not live up to fans’ almost mythological memory, but just being able to find that out is a victory in its own right.

DualShockers - Cameron Hawkins - 8 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition still rocks years later with little change to what made it great in the first place.

GameSkinny - George Yang - 6 / 10 stars

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game returns, and while it has flashes of fun, it sometimes struggles to feel up to date, even as a remaster.

GamesRadar+ - Ben Tyrer - 3 / 5 stars

Both an incredibly faithful take of the Scott Pilgrim story, as well as a frustratingly inconsistent beat-em-up that is elevated by the art style and soundtrack. While it's great that fans news and old have a chance to rediscover its quirks, it's by no means a forgotten masterpiece.

GamingTrend - David Flynn - 90 / 100

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Game is one of the best modern beat-em ups, despite a lack of much competition in the genre. It's gorgeous visuals and amazing soundtrack complement its surprising depth in combat perfectly. Scott Pilgrim is back, and hopefully here to stay.

Generación Xbox - Gabriel Fuentes - Spanish - 9.3 / 10

Ubisoft proves here that the best can be improved. The new modes, the ability to play online and keep the game as it was in the original version and only adapt it to the new generation is an absolute success. And in case someone wonders if the game is enjoyable even without knowing the character, or the comic, or the movies, from now on I tell you that yes, it is a great beat'em up in every rule and that you can enjoy without prior knowledge, although of course, knowing more about the story I think it is much more appreciated. In addition, the film is excellent wherever you look at it, so you would be doing yourself a favor by watching it, but right now.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 7 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game - Complete Edition may not be on a par with Streets of Rage 4 and co, but playing with friend makes it a much better experience.

Hardcore Gamer - Chris Shive - 3.5 / 5

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition is an enjoyable throwback to beat 'em up games and having access to the game with all the DLC after its several year hiatus is a welcome return.

Hobby Consolas - David Martinez - Spanish - 80 / 100

10 years after its original release, Scott Pilgrim vs The World is still a great "retro" brawler, full of pop culture references, and incredibly fun in multiplayer (local or online, coop or versus) up to 4 players.

IGN Italy - Gabriele Carollo - Italian - 7.4 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition is certainly an original scrolling fighting game, thanks to the reference imagery. However, games like Battletoads and Streets of Rage 4 have proved that the genre has evolved a lot in the past ten years, while the gameplay built by Ubisoft does not always shine or work at its best.

Nintendo Life - Mitch Vogel - 8 / 10

Those of you looking for the next Castle Crashers or Streets of Rage need look no further, as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is a great beat 'em up for your Switch. Bombastic presentation and crunchy combat gameplay make this one enjoyable from start to finish. Though it can feel like it runs a bit short and the difficulty spikes can be rather intense, we'd give this one a strong recommendation to anybody looking for a fun, short game to play in co-op. Let's just hope it sticks around for longer than four years this time.

NintendoWorldReport - Willem Hilhorst - 8.5 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition is still an incredibly polished and fun beat ‘em up that has truly stood the test of time. While it’s slightly annoying that playing with the other characters requires you to replay entire levels and that the online features and a full playable fighter are currently locked behind Ubisoft’s ridiculous server sign-in, in the end this is still a great title deserving of its re-release.

PlayStation Universe - Neil Bolt - 8.5 / 10

The landscape of the beat 'em up genre may have altered in the ten years since Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game first released, but it's return is wholly welcome. A wonderful compliment to the graphic novel series, and a stylish throwback to the delightfully gaudy brawlers that boomed and bloomed loudly in 90s arcades. Add friends for maximum impact.

Press Start - James Berich - 8 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition brings together everything that was lost all those years ago to dreaded licensing issues to remind us of why we missed it so much. It's a fun and quirky beat-em-up, though the lack of online in all the modes offered feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Pure Xbox - Daniel Hollis - 8 / 10

While its early difficulty may deter some people, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game's complexity and how it opens up makes for a highly enjoyable experience. It's felt like an eternity since we've seen this title on our Xbox systems, and having a Complete Edition with touched up visuals and all previously released content is an absolute treat. Whether you're a fan of the series or a newcomer to the genre, there's something here to enjoy, and it's a reminder of why so many fell in love with the original game all those years ago.

Shacknews - TJ Denzer - 8 / 10

I’ll say it plainly. I love Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. I loved it 10 years ago and I’ve only come to appreciate it more since. I identify with Stephen Stills as talented, but also very sleepy, so I delight in being able to play as him in a game again. Yet for all of my love, it definitely has a tedious grind that might annoy people that aren’t into River City Ransom-style beat’em-ups. That said, with or without the movie or comics it’s based off of, I’d still consider it one of the best-in-class of side-scrolling co-op brawlers

SomosXbox - Sebastián Domínguez - Spanish - 9 / 10

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World - Complete Edition is a side scrolling beat-em-up, similar to Streets of Rage. It has a unique soundtrack and very well done artistic and graphic work. This is a really enjoyable game to play. Although it has some bugs, in general it is a very polished game. It includes several new features compared to its 2010 version, including an online mode that still needs to be refined. Otherwise it is a game that must be played.

Spaziogames - Francesco Corica - Italian - 7.8 / 10

If you're a fan of the character or of beat 'em ups and pop culture in general that didn't have a chance to try this title, this is your second chance that must not be wasted.

TheSixthAxis - Reuben Mount - 9 / 10

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition remains an excellent game. With the whole game and DLC bundled together, this is the definitive package for fans of the franchise and of beat 'em ups in general. There's a lot to be in lesbians with here, from the stellar soundtrack to excellent moment to moment gameplay. It's clearly an utterly unique labour of love from a talented group of people (who happen to work at Ubisoft).

TrustedReviews - Jade King - 4 / 5 stars

Fans of classic brawlers really can't go wrong with Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition. It's gorgeous, satisfying to play, and has a positively banging soundtrack from pop/rock band Anamanaguchi that stands the test of time wonderfully.

Wccftech - Kai Powell - 7.3 / 10

Scott Pilgrim Versus the World Complete Edition certainly aims to be a faithful collection of this decade-old RPG brawler but with a near-zero list of improvements, it's tough to call Scott Pilgrim's adventure anything more than a pre-wrapped gift to the fans.

WellPlayed - Aza Hudson - 7 / 10

While it’s nice to have back what’s become something of a legend in its absence, you know what they say about meeting your heroes

Windows Central - Zackery Cuevas - 4 / 5 stars

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is still fun to play. It's a solid 2D beat em up with lots of charm and a sweet soundtrack, but there are better games in the genre since its 2010 debut.

Worth Playing - Cody Medellin - 9 / 10

It may be a little over 10 years old, but Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition remains a top-tier title for beat-'em-up fans. The changes and improvements made over the original River City Ransom formula make it a tight game that feels rich in its genre, while the presence of online play resolves the main criticism in the original title. Those who have played the game before will enjoy that it's portable on the Switch, but those coming in fresh will find this to be a gem on a system that's already flush with excellent beat-'em-ups, both past and present.

The /r/NintendoSwitch GOTY 2020 Awards - Voting Now Open!

Guide to JRPGs you might have Missed or Hidden Gems of 2020.

Outriders - FAQ

Hey guys. So as we are slowly edging closer to release and the demo, in my boredom I've decided to create a simple FAQ as I find myself answering a lot of the same questions.
Some of these answers are lifted directly from PCF, some are just info I'm aware of myself. I will try to keep it updated with any questions asked in the comments.
Included are General questions, Demo info, Gameplay info, QOL info, and Crossplay/Multiplayer info.
EDIT: All updated now, if I have missed anything obvious I'll update this when I'm made aware.. thearcan feel free to do with this thread as you see fit

GENERAL

- When will Outriders be released?

01 April 2021

- What Platforms will Outriders release on?

Outriders will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC (Steam & Epic). Outriders will be released on Stadia at a later date.

- What kind of game is Outriders?

Outriders is a 1 to 3 player, drop-in-drop-out co-op, third-person-perspective shooter set in an original dark and desperate sci-fi universe.

- Where can I watch the Outriders reveal trailer?

Right here. This is also on their official channel with plenty more in depth info on the game.

- Is there an official discord?

Yes here

- Is Outriders a Free-to-Play game?

No. Outriders will only require a one-off purchase of the game.

- Is Outriders a Games-As-A-Service?

No - Outriders will be a complete experience out of the box.

- Will Outriders feature Micro-transactions?

No. However the pre order bonus will be able to be purchased separately afaik.

- Will Outriders support Smart Delivery on Xbox? Will we get a free upgrade to PlayStation 5?

Yes. Anyone who purchases the game for Xbox One or PlayStation 4, will get a free upgrade to Xbox One X, Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 respectively.

- Will Outriders support Cross-Play?

Yes. Outriders will Fully support cross-play, meaning you will be able to explore Enoch with any of your friends on any other platform. You can play Outriders from start to finish with your friends regardless of what system they own.

- Will there be DLC?

At this time we don't know, if the game does well, hopefully we will see more of Enoch.

- Will my PC be able to handle Outriders?

See here

- Why was the game delayed?

See the official response here

DEMO

- When does the Demo release?

25th February 2021

- What will the demo include?

Final details have not been announced yet. But we know it will be the first few hours of the game.

- Will my demo progress carry over to the full game?

Yes - but there will be progress caps in place. At this moment in time we know there will be a level cap, world tier cap and story progress will be capped.

- Will the demo feature crossplay?

Yes

GAMEPLAY

- Can I play all classes?

Yes, you should have 6 character slots available.

- Will I have to replay the story for each class?

Yes, as far as we know.

- Does each class have multiple skills/powers?

Yes each class has 8 skills total. Only 3 can be equipped at one time.

- Why can we only play in groups of 3?

PCF found that groups of 3 hit the sweet spot for balancing, optimisation and visibility, especially with some much going on in battle.

- How does difficulty scaling work?

The game utilises a world tier system. There are a total of 15 World tiers. In essence the more you kill, the longer you survive, the higher the world tier you unlock. Each world tier increases difficulty, but also your rewards. This can be adjusted up (to the max you have unlocked) and down at any point.

- How does endgame work?

Endgame consists of 14 expeditions, all fresh content. In essence, get to the end as fast as you can on the highest difficulty you can for the most rewards. See more here

- What if I miss a loot drop?

There is an auto loot feature in game.

- Why don't enemies drop loot in expeditions?

They do. It all just goes to the chest at the end. See clarification here

- Does that mean if I fail an expedition I don't get any loot?

No, as per the previous linked comment, you still get this loot even if you fail.

- Can I transfer loot to another character?

Yes, there is a stash system.

- How does crating and mods work?

See Here Approx 16 mins in.

- Is there an in game achievement system?

The game will feature accolade system which is something in between achievements and battle pass. It will reward you for doing actions you would normally do in gameplay with small cosmetic rewards so if you need extra motivation to repeat few side quests and spend more time in the game here it is. The system will give only cosmetic rewards and there is no way to buy your progress, it is also completely optional but completionists can have nice fun with it.

- How do armour stats work?

See an official breakdown here

- What weapons can we use?

From what we have seen you have Pistol side arms, and equip 2 primary weapons. So far we have seen Assault rifles, LMG's, Shotguns, Sub Machine guns and a variety of rifles including Snipers.

- Can I play the whole game solo?

Yes, the number of enemies etc scale depending on how many people are in your party. Expeditions are designed for 3 players, but should still be doable solo. See clarification here

- Is there PVP?

No.

QUALITY OF LIFE

- Will there be in game comms?

No - at this time there is no in built chat or ping system. See further explanation as to why this is here

- Will there be loadouts?

No, not at this time.

- Will there be a transmog system?

No, not at this time.

- Are there colourblind settings?

Yes, I believe so.

- What are the next gen upgrades for Xbox Series X and PS5?

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but we can expect some optimisation benefits etc. Suggestions that we should know for certain by the release of the demo.

- Do I have to be online to play?

Unless something has changed recently, I believe you have to be online to play.

- Is there a mass dismantle system in game?

Yes

- Is there an item protection system in game, such as item locking?

No.

- Will players be able to mod/hack their saves etc?

Alls saves are server side, so this shouldn't be theoretically possible.

CROSSPLAY/MULTIPLAYER

- Can I turn crossplay off?

Yes

- Is there a social hub?

There are hubs in game. However they will only be accessed by yourself and those within your matchmaking party.

-How does joining a friend work?

The game operates on a host based system. You join and play in the hosts world. Host migration systems should be in place if the host dc's. You can join any friend at any point once the prologue is complete.

- How does scaling work when I join a friend?

As you are in the hosts game, you play at the level and world tier setting they are at. So you will either feel OP or under geared if you join low/high level friends retrospectively. See more here

- How does loot work in a friends game?

Loot is instance based for each player. Loot drops depending on enemy level, which is in turn based on world tier. So if you are joining friends playing on substantially lower or higher world tiers. Loot drops in essence won't be much use to you.

- How will I invite cross play friends?

They have said they will utilise a friend code system.

- Is there a cross save system?

Only between similar systems - eg Xbox one to Xbox series x, or PS4 to PS5. You will not be able to cross save between platforms, eg from Xbox to PC, or Xbox to PS.

Battleborn - Farewell

In-depth look At Mihoyo's History, misconception about Gacha gaming industry, and Genshin Impact's future

You Are The Real MVP - Why Genshin Impact Is The Real Game of the Year in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLxgyp0pnMQ
Hi all, I see there is a lot of anger and anxiety toward Genshin Impact due to the wide audience it brought to the table, as well as a lot of misconceptions about the gacha gaming industry. I am 40 years old and have been gaming for over 30 years. I have 300+ DAYS /played in World of Warcraft and recently, over 1000 hours in Path of Exile with popular build guides with hundreds of replies. I also have played just about every major hit of every era on every platform. I really want to tell you who Mihoyo really is, how the gacha gaming industry works, and what Genshin Impact's future looks like.
Mihoyo's History
In 2011, three college students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (comparable to Cornell in America) released their first game, FlyMe2TheMoon. When they graduated in 2013, they used their own money to make the first Honkai game (released as Zombiegal Kawaii overseas). This game allowed players to farm gold coins to buy all weapons and gear, only spend real money to speed up progress and came with glorious two players co-op way ahead of other mobile games at the time. At end of the day, players just didn't pay money for it. When they took it to investors, they were laughed at and ridiculed by everyone. Nobody is going to pay money for this silly anime stuff! You guys don't know how to monetize a game! Both of these games are still available on App Store, feel free to download them to check them out!
In 2014, on the verge of bankruptcy, the team learned monetization model from Puzzles & Dragons, the first-ever mobile game to break a billion dollars, and released Honkai 2 with the same art style and gameplay. The biggest change was moving to the gacha model. The game became a top-10 grossing title in China, released to overseas market as Guns GirlZ - Mirage Cabin and Guns Girl - Honkai Gakuen. Mihoyo the company was born. Today, Mihoyo has over 1000 employees and pays them more money than titans like Tencent and Netease, and runs their office in the ultra-expensive heart of Shanghai business district. Despite Genshin Impact's smashing global success and player's thirst for more content, they gave many of their employees a full 8 days break, standard with the 10/01 Chinese national holiday, for the historic job they did with the global launch. They understand it is a marathon, not a sprint.
For Mihoyo, the most important metric for their title will always be LIFETIME REVENUE, and they do not abandon their titles. All of them are still available. Honkai 2 is still getting content updates six years after release, even if the game itself is nothing more than a piece of history for them at this point. Honkai Impact 3 hit an all-time high revenue month this year, still makes a few hundred million dollars a year in China/Japan, three years after release, and Mihoyo took every dollar they made and spent an unprecedented 100 million dollars on a mobile game we know as Genshin Impact. You can count on Mihoyo to treat its most ambitious title ever with love and care, but you must remember they will always prioritize LIFETIME REVENUE over any other metric, which is what successful companies do because it is the only way to make the product best in class.
Fate Grand Order - Genshin Impact's TRUE inspiration
In 2015, Fate Grand Order was released as a turn-based mobile JRPG, the first six months it scored just $100 million dollars, and was on the verge of sinking into irrelevance. Five years later, the game grossed 4 billion dollars and became the most successful PVE game on any platform since GTA 5. How did it happen?
Many say it is the fate IP, but the truth is fate's IP is nothing special in a sea of big IPs trying to make a splash in mobile and failed miserably, just ask Nintendo how their two Mario games performed, or Square about their countless Final Fantasy mobile games. 80% of the billion-dollar games on mobile are actually brand new IP's.
The biggest challenge for every PVE game-as-a-service is monetization. PVP games like League of Legends and Fortnite do not need huge content updates to stay fresh and can maintain much higher daily active user counts to sell cosmetics, make $5 per player, and still hit a monster year. Monetizing PVE games is much harder. Players simply run out of things to do and quit the game, no matter how quickly you can produce content. Games like Path of Exile and Warframe struggle to break 100 million a year in revenue.
PVP gacha games like Summoners War and AFK Arena can rely on whales dueling each other to force meta changes, and they grew into billion-dollar franchises in their own right. But Fate Grand Order had a different idea in mind, what if you design amazing characters that are truly desirable, and price them at a low gacha rate so it takes thousands of dollars for rich players to max out their box by pulling multiple copies? You are never going to have the player base of a Candy Crush, let's try to maximize our revenue ceiling from whales instead, and make players emotionally attach to their characters because they are so well designed. The rest was history.
While there are indeed many generous gacha games like Granblue Fantasy, Azur Lane, Dragalia Lost, etc, none of them are in Fate Grand Order's tier if you look at their annual numbers, not even in the same ballpark. Other multi-billion dollar franchises like Puzzles and Dragons, Monster Strike also follow the same concept of greatly increasing the limit of what a whale can spend on a PVE game to max out a character. And yes, we are talking about providing strong benefits for getting multiple copies of the same character.
The numbers have proved time and time again, that maximizing whale spending in a PVE game is far more revenue than maximizing the number of monthly card players.
Genshin Impact's Target Audience
Any product that tries to be everything for everyone is doomed to fail. Mihoyo has very clear audiences in mind:

Players who love anime graphic and ARPG, there is simply no AAA game out there in this genre. Tales series, Xenoblade, etc. are all low budget, low sales games. Granblue Relink is single platform and dead on arrival. There is no dominant franchise at all.
Players who love Zelda's open-world exploration and environment interaction, but hate the difficult puzzles and survival/weapon durability/ammo aspect, and want constant content updates. Hey, a co-op mode with a real RPG system sounds amazing!
Mobile players who want more than a simple game like Fate Grand Order. They want to do dailies during commute and don't mind doing harder content on PC/console. The game needs to look good on a big screen at home. They don't want to learn/maintain two different PVE games given how time-consuming these games are.
Players who retired from MMORPG/ARPG's due to real-life commitments. Many of us who played World of Warcraft have kids now, and the outdated graphics, 20 buttons skill bar, the social requirements for raids . . . it is just too much to keep up. We want a simpler game that looks good and takes far less time to learn and play.

And let's just say they hit it out of the park with the greatest launch in gaming history. Never before a game hit PC/PS4/iOS/Android with cross-play on day one in 100 countries, 13 text language and 4 fully voiced languages, never before a game hit top 5 grossing in China/Japan/US/Korea at the same time, I don't even recall a marketing campaign did so well across so many drastically different regions and cultures. The AAA graphics, sound, incredible polish, you don't need me to tell you why this game is amazing. But from the competition's standpoint, the launch itself was like watching a bronze player climb to grandmaster overnight, and the game's biggest strength. Far bigger companies, franchises, do not dare to even think about launching a game at this scale. Mihoyo released the failed Honkai 1 overseas when the company was on the verge of collapsing, they always punched way above their weight when it comes to global releases.
Make no mistakes about it, this was never meant to be a single-player AAA game or a direct Diablo 3 / Path of Exile / Warframe competitor. It was meant to be a game that converts PC/console players to gacha gamers, by casting a wider net than any mobile game ever. They only need a small percentage of PC and console players to change their behaviors. The rest of them can play for free or leave and it won't hurt them at all. The monthly card is designed as a super good deal (look, WAY cheaper than World of Warcraft $15 per month) to get PC/console players to spend for the first time ever, breaks down their "why pay for a free game" defense. Once they pay once, the pity 5 star is always just a few dozen more pulls away, let me buy another pack! Before you know it, monthly cards are converted to dolphins, dolphins are converted to whales. It is by far the strongest business model for a PVE game today, and people who are new to the genre won't know what hit them.
Genshin Impact has an excellent chance to end Fate Grand Order's reign as the #1 most successful PVE game on any platform since 2016, by the virtue of being on every platform, and the same version across all regions.
LIFETIME REVENUE = Active Player Base * Spend Per Player * Longevity
For every game as a service, balancing these three variables is an incredibly difficult task. Can Mihoyo increase the rate on an event (like Cy Games gala events), put up a Diluc banner, and greatly increase spend per player? Yes, but they will provide less reason for people to pull on other days and lose out on long term revenue.
Likewise, the resin limitation is to prevent even whales from maxing out their characters and moving onto other games, that is why they have a hard limit on resin refill. Player progression is meticulously controlled to ensure content can keep up. A huge part of internal testing is to test how quickly a player of each spending level can go through content. Two-day, three-day, seven-day, and thirty-day player retention are critical metrics to F2P mobile games, you will always lose a huge number of players during these transitional phases. These are tried and true methods in gacha gaming to preserve the maximum number of players over the long haul. It is basically a much more advanced progression control than say, World of Warcraft's weekly raid lock outs. You have to FORCE your players to take breaks, or you will lose them way faster than you can churn out new content.
All four dailies, spend resins, and open-world exploration for crafting/ascension materials, a couple of chests/quest you missed, that is a health 60 minutes of gameplay. Gacha games provide resources for the next pull on every daily, every quest, every event. Getting a five star is a better feeling than getting any item drop in MMORPG/ARPG. Gacha games have a much stronger hold on its players because of this addiction, you are always very close to the next pull! Genshin Impact takes it a step further to actually encourage you to do single pulls over ten pulls. Over time resources will inevitably be loosened up as more contents are released, and daily quests and slowed down progression is there to keep you playing.
Behind the scenes, there is an ultra-complex data model that works tirelessly to balance all three variables. Looking at Mihoyo's track record with Honkai Impact 3, they know what they are doing to maximize LIFETIME REVENUE. With every gacha game like this, the developer has a price point they need to hit on a five star, then based on the competition they usually adjust the price significantly higher than what they consider to be acceptable. Whether it is gacha rate or stamina, once you reduce the price, you can never, ever increase it again. Start high and drop it when you need to is a much better strategy, and players think you listened to their feedback, win-win! If the daily active user doesn't drop while you keep the price high, why lower the price? The developer and player are always in a tug of war, with the developer testing player's limit on what is acceptable. It is just like how Apple kept iPhone with 2GB of memory and tiny screen size for a very long time because they are looking at the overall LIFETIME REVENUE, not because they didn't know their product needed these features.
Genshin Impact is priced at a premium because it has no competition, just like how Apple iPhones were priced at an ultra-premium when it first came out. Over time, prices will drop, resources will come easier, but until there is a real competitor, they do not need to care what lesser gacha games do. Do you think KeQing should be priced the same as a gacha character with PS1 graphics?
Genshin Impact's Future
100 million dollars estimate from Sensor Tower in two weeks does not include PC, PS4 and Chinese Android. Chinese Android revenue has been 1.8 times of China iOS for Honkai 3, many in the Chinese gaming industry speculate the true global revenue number of Genshin Impact is easily double of what Sensor Tower shows. Mihoyo is a private company and it fired one of the employees who bragged about the 09/15 China PC numbers, which was 10 million dollars, so we will never know the exact figures unless they go public. Don't expect Mihoyo to ever share revenue/player base numbers, that is just not how they operate.
There is no way the game can continue the 100 million dollars a week pace, that is 5 billion dollars a year, so for haters out there, you will see a massive decline in the player base between content updates, you will see the game falling out of top 10 grossing, you will get your "I told you so" moments when the weekly revenue drops by 50-70%. It is perfectly normal for gacha games between banners, and what Gensin Impact is doing is completely unsustainable. This is called filtering out users and building a stable player base.
However, even with the inevitable massive decline, this is a game destined to be a multi-billion dollar franchise. I personally give it a very conservative estimate of two billion dollars in three years. It will easily outperform the likes of BOTW, Cyberpunk 2077, etc. by the end of the first year in terms of the player base, hours played, and revenue. It will take money away from all other gacha games and force other developers to step up their game. It will take money away from long-standing multi-billion dollar PC PVE franchises like Dungeon Fighter Online, and to a lesser degree, MMORPG's like FF14. It will encourage companies to play with bigger budgets and provide PC/console releases for bigger mobile releases like Diablo Immortal, instead of relying on emulators. It will even change the monetization model for western F2P games. Iksar, lead designer of Hearthstone has been playing Genshin Impact since release. Imagine if Hearthstone didn't allow you to craft cards, and provided benefits to getting multiple copies of the same card. It is way too late for Hearthstone to change now, maybe there is still time to change Diablo Immortal's monetization model, I believe they will need either gacha or real-money auction house to be competitive.
But will Genshin Impact shake up the AAA industry? My personal opinion is no. Japanese developers do not have the technology to make mobile games at this level, you just need to look at the top 20 grossing Japanse mobile games. Western developers do not have the artwork to make characters so attractive, I mean just look at Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 characters, will whales spend $1000 on them? Whales spend enough money in gacha to pick up girls in real life many times over, many of them are ultra-rich and live a lavish lifestyle, just showing anime assets is not enough to win them over.
In all of my years playing Western games I have never been attached to a female character as I did with Artoria aka King Arthur of Fate Grand Order, I played the game for six months even if I don't really like turn-based JRPGs, and always enjoyed listening to her "Excalibur". Mihoyo is coming very close with some of Genshin Impact's character designs. I am not sure if Western culture is capable of creating the type of characters that can connect with players on an emotional level. Lara Croft is definitely not it. I believe Western gaming's general pursuit of realism and grittiness hurts them when it comes to creating an idealistic world and dreamy characters. Top western games tend to expose the harshness of real-world to players, instead of offering an escape. In many ways, Mihoyo's mastery of anime is closer to a Japanese company than Chinese company, it is not something you can just hire a couple of artists for. Likewise, the western market will always be 15-20% of the overall revenue for gacha games at best, it is difficult for western companies to justify making them with a AAA budget.
It is also incredibly hard to make a cross-platform PVE game on PC, Console, and Mobile look this good. It is not something you get from just licensing Unity. There are maybe a handful of companies out there capable of dropping 100 million dollars on a game like this, but until their main cash cow die, which studio dares to take this kind of risk? The tier 2-3 companies are simply not capable of spending 100 million dollars even if they went all in. I don't see a real competitor in two years, not even from Tencent and Netease, the bar is that high.
How You Should Approach It As A Player
If you are not a fan of gacha games, no problem! The best way is to play it like a free AAA game with unlimited free DLC's. With the amount of money this game makes, in a few years it will have more content than any other open-world game, and the developer will also be more generous over time as end game contents become more abundant. As their tools mature, the amount of time it takes to release contents across all platforms at the same time will shrink significantly, there will also be more events they can queue up. Every F2P player can get at least one five star character without rerolling if they complete most of the quests and use up their gifted currencies. I expect 100% F2P players will get at least 4 five-stars per year, 3 from pity, 1 from luck. I believe F2P with limited resources is a lot more fun and only spend money to support the developer. I am still 100% F2P on Genshin Impact as of today, because getting 20 pulls from the monthly card is not that exciting. I will wait for a one-time-only deal later in the game's life cycle.
For players who want to be a bit more involved, you can buy a monthly card, do your dailies, enjoy new content, enjoy the thrills of pulls, and pity 5 stars. Once Mihoyo gets a stable end game loop out there, they will definitely loosen up on resins. Just don't expect to play it like a Path of Exile season start. Save currencies and pity timer for a banner you want. Take it slow! Gacha games are designed to be played over many years, alongside other games. Take your Cyberpunk 2077 break, take your Call of Duty break, but in the end, there is simply no anime ARPG competition on any platform, and if you are into this kind of game, you will be back.

The Ultimate guide for OFFLINE features, split-screen, Bots, LAN Play in Cold War

1.11 UPDATE NEW FEATURES ZOMBIES HAS SPLIT SCREEN OFFLINE NOW!

1.11 update news

-Zombies now allows 2 player split-screen in offline, you can add a controller as well as start/boot the match fine, however the same issues persist with offline split-screen, visual/menu glitches/bugs just like the normal multiplayer split-screen
-Multiplayer offline split-screen is working again, it seems to have all the same issues it had prior to the 1.09 update where it got broken, rough menus, class selection not working in certain scenarios, I've also found Nuketown 84 in split-screen will crash every time it loads into the match...etc etc.
- RAID and PINES map are available offline now
-Prop hunt is available offline now, however no bot support.

1.10 update - literally nothing added for offline

1.09 update - literally nothing added for offline

KNOWN MAJOR OFFLINE ISSUES/BUGS all present in latest 1.08 'season one' version (tested on PS4/PS5) Please read these as it may answer some questions instead of posting a comment.

*NEW BUG/GLITCH as of V.08\*
- V1.08 you can no longer play split-screen offline, when adding player 2, it will attempt to add player 2 and just fail each time....
- when playing split-screen multiplayer (versus) player 2 can do create-a-class but only edit the main weapon, they can not edit any attachments
- when playing split-screen multiplayer (versus) often player 2 can not select a class when starting the match at all.

- offline zombies has no option for split-screen or adding a controller when playing offline period (unsure if this is a glitch or the fact zombies has no split-screen option offline at all
- online zombies, has the option to add a second player for split-screen, but even when you do this the game won't launch and will often come up with a error stating this mode has exceeded the maximum amount of players, (unsure if ths is a glitch or the fact zombies isn't supposed to be split-screen at all)
- Search and Destroy and VIP Escort modes, do not support offline bots at all
- the maps Armada and Crossroads do not support offline bots at all currently for any mode
- the maps Armada and Crossroads have a small variant for normal modes, however when playing VIP escort mode only, you get the full expanded large scale combined arms map (with vehicles) however again no offline bot support, unsure if this is a glitch or not.
- various interface/menu bugs within the menus/lobbys
- multiple instances of glitches when playing in split-screen, gunsights missing/notloading, hands dissappearing etc etc.
- multiple settings not working, loadout restrictions settings completely broken and not working right, guns misnamed, M82 is called the XM4 etc and turning off or enabling what is supposed to be the M82 turns off both or enables both the M82 and XM4, really broken.
- I have to do more testing but I've had two instances on PS5 where my campaign save will dissappear completely after playing split-screen multiplayer.
- unsure if a glitch or designed this way.
If you find any bugs/issues or fixes that I haven't do let me know in the comments or flick me a PM, Finding new stuff every time I play it.
I'll endeavour to keep this guide updated over the next couple of months, do be with me as I can't update EXACTLY on time every time a new update comes out..
All testing done with the PS4 and PS5 version of the game (v1.03) (now updated to V1.07)
I have updated the game now to V1.05, I can confirm nothing has changed for offline with this update, what is down below is still current including no OFFLINE split-screen option for Zombies and the Crossroads/Armada maps still do not support bots.
I now have the PS4 as well as the PS5 version of the game, It's exactly the same, nothing additional, no extra bots/maps/modes/features, exactly the same issues, exactly the same stuff.
Some people are asking about the Dualsense for it, it's neat, the guns all feel slightly different, so the resistive triggers have different 'pulls' for different weapons, big LMGs the aiming trigger is a slow steady pull where as a pistol is very lightweight and barely any resistance, the vibration stuff, pretty standard, although again every gun feels a little different, nothing mind blowing, but neat feature. Astros Playroom on the other hand is amazing for the dualsense.
All testing done on PS4 Pro and PS5, running in an offline environment, no internet on the console, boot from cold startup, booting up Black Ops Cold War OFFLINE and playing OFFLINE.
This guide is aimed at people who enjoy the offline part of Call of Duty (yes there are people like us) If you play online thats fine, no need to make a stupid comment like "why are you playing offline in 2020 what a loser etc etc"
I've done this for several years, this guide is for fans of offline play and aimed to get CORRECT information to people who need it

FAQ Starts here

What do you mean when you use the word OFFLINE?
To clear up any confusion as many people seem to confuse the terms OFFLINE and LOCAL PLAY, these are two VERY different things.
If I use the word OFFLINE in this guide at any point, I mean OFFLINE, no internet on the console, no WiFi, no Ethernet, Console as well as game has been cold booted with NO INTERNET WHATSOEVER.
Can you play Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War OFFLINE without an internet connection?
Yes once your game is at version 1.03 (latest current version at time of release) You can play the game fully offline.
Like Modern Warfare 2019, the game is quite large (100.4GB for PS4 at of time of writing) It also like Modern Wafare 2019 is divided into PACKS
The Base game has the following PACKS, which you need to have installed if you want to play every mode available.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Single Player LicenseCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Multiplayer License
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies License
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Campaign 1
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Campaign 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Campaign 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Multiplayer Base Install
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Zombies Base Install
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Dead Ops Arcade Pack
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Content 1 - 6 License (1 file for each) ( I believe this is just DLC stuff)
The console versions like WWII, Black Ops 4 and Modern Warfare 2019 will work OFFLINE after patching/updating, the PC version however due to Battlenet is ONLINE ONLY, even for Campaign/offline bots.
Can you install and play Black Ops Cold War from the disc without installing any updates/patches?
No you can not, like Call of Duty WWII, Black Ops 4, and Modern Warfare 2019 before it, the physical copies of the game do not contain all the files nor can you play the full experience OFFLINE via the disc only, you can only play a few multiplayer maps vs bots, thats it.
*A MANDATORY INSTALLATION/UPDATE IS REQUIRED FIRST\*
Can you play the Campaign OFFLINE?
Yes as mentioned before, as long as you have updated your game to the minimum version of 1.03 (latest current release) the games campaign will be playable OFFLINE.
Can you play the multiplayer (versus) OFFLINE?
Yes as mentioned before, as long as you have updated your game to the minimum version of 1.03 (latest current release) the games multiplayer will be playable OFFLINE.
Can you play the Zombies mode OFFLINE?
Yes as mentioned before, as long as you have updated your game to the minimum version of 1.03 (latest current release) the games multiplayer will be playable OFFLINE.
**Can you play the Zombies Onslaught mode OFFLINE? (exclusive to PS4/PS5 for 1 year)**yes
Is there Split-screen support in mutliplayer versus?
Versus Multiplayer has 2 players split-screen per console maximum
Is there split-screen support in Zombies?
EDIT: Version 1.11 has finally added the ability to play zombies OFFLINE split-screen, however its still rough, but it does work.
Is there co-op campaign or split-screen campaign?
Campaign is single player only.

What does the aspect ratio for split-screen look like? Is there any 'black bars' on the sides?
Split-screen for multiplayer versus has both Vertical and Horizontal options.
Horizontal split-screen (TOP and BOTTOM) has black bars on the left and right.Vertical split-screen (LEFT and RIGHT) has black bars on the top and bottom.
Is there OFFLINE LAN support, (2 or more systems connected offline for multiplayer) ?
You can play 2 players PER CONSOLE in multiplayer versus. Zombies is ONE PER CONSOLE currently, LAN is broken though unless you go online and download temporary hotfixes, so basically you need all consoles to be online, connected to servers, get hotfixes (so every game/console is on the same version and then it will work) this is the exact same issue Modern Warfare has. Its stupid. true proper OFFLINE LAN play is pretty much broken in the last two CODs.

OFFLINE BOT SUPPORT

Is there offline bot (AI Enemies/teammates) support?Which modes support them?How many Bots per mode?
Yes there are offline bots
you can have a total of 12 players in each core game mode, so if playing SOLO, you can have 11 bots.
I can confirm if playing split-screen you can still have 11 bots in the game total.Previous versions of the game only supported 7 bots in TDM and FFA game modes, this was fixed in V1.07. all modes support 11 bots.
you can not add bots to the Crossroads or Armada maps at all.
VIP Escort and Search and Destroy game modes do not support offline bots.
Can you make assymetrical/uneven teams?
Yes, however you can't go over the maximum of 6 players per each team,
So you can't for example do a team death match with you on one team vs 11 bots on the other team.
6 v 6 max
How many players can play each mode? (assume bots means players too here)
2 REAL players in split-screen and up to 11 bots (6 players/bots per team)
Edit: I didn't notice before as I mainly play objective modes not FFA or Team Deathmatch,
If you play Free-for-all or Team Deathmatch the bots cap at 7, not 11
What difficulties are there for the bots?
Recruit, Regular, Hardened, Veteran
are there loadout restrictions and can we force the bots to use certain loadouts?
There is an option for loadout restrictions in the menu, however It dosen't affect bots, you can turn off custom classes but sadly there again is no option to set what the DEFAULT classes are (like how Modern Warfare Remastered allows)
Right now the restrictions screen is VERY broken, half of the weapons are sharing the same name, for example the M82 Sniper rifle is incorrectly labelled as the XM4 (assault rifle) I turned off EVERYTHING but the M82 but it has the XM4 enabled (as its obviously broken) I have turned off everything but the XM4 and there are still weapons that are accessible.
So hard one to test right now, It's restricting some weapons but I can only tell from the player side no the bot side, Patches are needed to test this feature properly.
are there friendly/teammate bots for Zombies mode?
No there are no friendly AI/teammates/bots in Zombies mode.
What are the bots like, and how do they play?
I've had a quick go (I'll update this more later) but they feel like how they did in MW 2019.

Create-a-Class/Loadouts/Customisation

Is there an offline progression system? or is everything unlocked for offline play?
There is no offline progression system, everything is unlocked from the start, all attachments, gear, weapons etc is available offline from the start
What about customisation/camos etc?
Yes you can apply camos, change reticles offline, it looks like everything is unlocked here
What is available in offline create-a-class?
A ton, I'll add a video in the comments later with a showcase of everything, it's comparable to how MW was at launch.
How many custom classes can you have? can you save/rename them?
You can have 5 custom classes per player offline, yes you can rename/save them.
What Operators are available offline?
All launch Operators are available offline
NATO:
Mil-Sim:
HunterSong
Operators:
ParkAdlerBakerSimsWoods
Warsaw Pact
Mil-Sim:
VargasPowers
Operators:
PortnovaBeckGarciaStone

Multiplayer VERSUS

What game modes are available offline?
Team DeathmatchFree-For-AllSearch & DestoryDominationHardpointControlVIP Escort
What about the Larger Combined Arms modes?
Although the maps like Crossroads (which was the big snowy map in the beta with snowmobiles etc) are here, these are not the combined arms versions, these are smaller cut down versions of these maps, you can only do 6 v 6 in offline.
Is there a realism mode? or Hardcore Mode?
No realism mode, there is no hardcore 'mode' like MW2019, however there are Hardcore versions of TDM, FFA, SND, and DOM.
What multiplayer maps are available?
ArmadaCartelCheckmateCrossroadsGarrisonMiamiMoscowSatelliteNuketown 84 (added for offline in update V1.07)
What interesting custom game settings are there? anything different/new?
Nothing out of the ordinary, all pretty standard fare at launch.
Can I save custom game modes OFFLINE?
Yes you can save them.

Zombies

Is everything unlocked for create-a-class?
Yes, everything is unlocked, it's the same weapon selection from multiplayer versus, however you get 1 weapon, not 2, and a field upgrade which are zombies themed special powers.
Is there settings like in Black Ops 4, where you could adjust zombies/custom game settings?
Sadly no, it seems very scaled back more like the normal zombies modes from the older Black Ops games.
What modes are available for zombies offline?
Round based (standard zombies)Dead Ops arcade 3 (top down twin-stick shooter mini game mode)Onslaught (PS4/PS5 Exclusive for 1 year)
What maps/scenarios are available for offline zombies?
Round based (standard zombies)
Die Maschine
**Dead Ops Arcade 3 (mini game)**Rise of the Mamaback
Onslaught
Moscow (same as the multiplayer Moscow map....just with zombies)
What is onslaught mode anyway?
so its basically a VIP escort thing, you have a floating orb, that has a protective cirlce around it, you need to stay in the circle to live, zombies come at you, you shoot em, orb moves to a new location, rinse and repeat. Neat but you aren't missing much if you are a PC/Xbox player.

The Year in Couch Co-Op (2020)

Normally I spend the majority of my gaming time on single-player games, but this year I was fortunate to be with someone who also loves games, so we played a bunch of co-op games. Here are 25 that I enjoyed this year:

Broforce (PC)

We must be at or near the top 1% of Broforce players as far as hours played. Many late nights playing this one. The campaign is great, but we we wouldn't have racked up nearly as much time without the many excellent user-created levels (Steam Workshop). For a good part of the year we played this game nearly every day. We still check back every now and then to play through some of the new user-created levels. An all-time favorite, one of the funniest games ever, and one of the best values, 10/10

Assault Android Cactus+ (PC)

A great twin-stick shooter, this is the game we play every day right now, and another all-time favorite. Single player is great, but co-op is even better. There's a regular campaign, an extra bonus difficult campaign, daily challenges, boss mode, and infinity mode. Also extra options and settings that I wish more games included. The androids all play uniquely and the game is challenging without being too frustrating. Highly recommend, 10/10.

Full Metal Furies (PC)

Likable characters and funny, too. I really enjoyed this one. I still find myself humming the music sometimes even though we finished it months ago. The combat is challenging and fun. Would play again, 9/10

Unravel 2 (PS4, PC)

One of our favorites, this was a replay from last year and it ended too quickly. Great to look at and listen to. Good puzzles and a very unique experience overall. I wish there were more games like this. 9/10

Overcooked 2 (PC)

Lots of replay value thanks to online co-op. A few of the levels are not enjoyable, but most are awesome. Horde levels are the best. We've played this one more than most on this list, 9/10

Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Wii)

Classic Kirby. Slightly better than Epic Yarn imo. One thing I didn't like is how if player 1 dies then you both die, but still a great game. I've been playing Kirby games since Kirby's Adventure and they're still fun after all these years. 9/10

New Super Mario Bros U (CEMU)

Many levels to play and some of them were surprisingly challenging. Lots of fun, could see myself replaying this one. Still haven't played the Luigi U levels yet, 9/10

New Super Mario Bros (Wii)

This was very early in the year and before we played the sequel so I don't remember too much of the specifics but I remember it being as fun as the sequel. 9/10

Overcooked (PS4, PC)

We still come back to this one sometimes too. Played for the first time last year but we've played through it from start to finish at least 4 or 5 times. One of the first games we played, and still fun. 8.5/10

Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)

Easy, but fun and cute. A nice experience, would play again, 8.5/10

Guns, Gore, & Cannoli (PC)

This was a really fun experience. I loved the art style, humor, and voice-acting. It's short but very fun. Felt like playing through a movie in a good way. 8.5/10

Ultimate Chicken Horse (PS4, PC)

A great party game, always entertaining with 3 or 4 players. Will definitely be a staple for a long time during times when there's more than just the 2 of us. 8.5/10

Pac Man 256 (PS4, PC)

Great with any amount of players. Not something I'd play for hours at a time but I'll probably will be coming back to it for years to come. I didn't try the mobile version until after playing this, but I prefer it with a controller. 8.5/10

Diner Bros (PC)

This game deserves more attention. It's not as polished or huge as Overcooked 2 but it's still very fun and addictive. More fun the more players you have, 8.5/10

Crimsonland (PC)

Simple and fun. The game had some extra survival modes and stuff but I remember the difficulty seeming impossible for the 2 of us compared to the regular modes at the time. Maybe better with 3 or 4 people. We'll play it again. 8/10

Unrailed! (PC)

We mostly try to stay as long as we can on the Plains and Desert since we don't find the biomes after that to be as fun, but still an 8/10

Nex Machina (PS4)

8/10

Pixeljunk Shooter (PS4)

7.5/10

Children of Morta (PC)

Good narration and character building in between dying a lot. Wasn't sure if we would finish this one bc we died a lot, but there's enough story and advancement to make it worth continuing. The 1st boss is the worst. Repetitive at times. 7.5/10

Moving Out (PC)

This one didn't have as much replay value for us compared to Overcooked 2 or Diner Bros, but I still enjoyed it. Hope there's a sequel, 7.5/10

No Heroes Here (PC)

There aren't enough couch co-op tower defense games. Requires strategy and coordination to beat the tough levels. 7.5/10

Co-Op Snek (PC)

7.5/10

Wii Play, Wii Party, Ghost Squad (Wii)

These are some other old Wii games we enjoyed that I'm including to get the number to 25.

My Year In Gaming: Pandemic Edition (34 Mini Reviews & Stats Because I'm A Nerd)

Over the course of 2020 I played 33 games. Not bad for a 27-year old who's married, with a house and 4 pets and is pursuing writing on the side. And I think we can all agree gaming provided a much-needed escape from the craziness of this year.
If I picked it up once and never came back it didn't make the list because it didn't leave an impression on me.
This will be LONG, as I'll talk at the end about my favorites and my disappointments. Also some stats because I'm an excel nerd.
These are listed in the order they were played. Unless noted I finished/beat the game.
Let's GO!

THE GAMES

Bioshock: Remastered (PS4)
An enjoyable if dated shooter that drips atmosphere and prioritizes story and characters over gameplay. A very enjoyable experience even if the gameplay starts to wear thin towards the end and the final boss is a bit of the letdown.
4/5
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (PC)
Dated combat mechanics hold this one back from being considered a great in 2020. Both Mass Effect and Dragon Age are better. That being said, Bioware's always had incredible writing and characters, and KOTOR is no different. The combat ranges from infuriating to fun depending on where you fall in the story. Anything beyond Dantooine is typically enjoyable. Play for the story and choices, not the combat.
3.5/5
Kingdom Under Fire II (PC)
Note: This was played over a Steam free weekend, and as such, I didn't finish it.
A nice little mix of RTS, MMO, and action. Was fun over a free Steam weekend - may pick it up when it becomes cheaper. The epic scale ties everything together, even the small bit of story I got from the two days was entirely forgetful.
No Score
Unreal Tournament III (PC)
This is like Doom 2016 before Doom 2016. Fast-paced, frantic fun. Just stay away from the single player. I'm glad I was able to find a few guys still playing online, this is a hell of a lot of fun, but just like the Doom multiplayer, it didn't snag me for more than an hour or two.
2.5/5
Undertale (PC)
Note: I did not finish this game.
No, just no. I didn't like the gameplay (to be fair, I haven't played many bullet hell games and that's almost entirely the combat) and the story, while quirky, didn't grip me. I just couldn't get attached to the characters. Fun music though.
1/5
Hitman (2016) (PC)
A return to form for Hitman. The levels are massive, and while this lends to the openness of the game, it can also get overwhelming at times. I'd have preferred the gigantic maps being broken up by smaller ones throughout the course of the six levels, and the one in Japan kinda-sorta achieves this. Still, this is Hitman at its best, and stands right alongside Blood Money for top contender. Welcome back, 47.
4/5
Risk Of Rain 2 (PC)
Note: This was played over a free Steam weekend.
Enjoyed it! Addicting little game. Will certainly purchase despite never playing Risk Of Rain 1. Just needs a price drop. $14.99 or so? I'm in. Fast-paced fun.
No Score
Sea Of Thieves (PC)
Played this one with the wife. It's not bad, it just doesn't hold my attention. Sure, sailing the high seas as a pirate is neat. But there's virtually no depth and nothing to hold your attention.
2/5
Democracy 3 (PC)
I'd been in the mood for a political sim with everything going on in the news, and Democracy 3 isn't a bad game - but I remember it being better than it was. It just didn't hold my attention long. I like how in-depth the different focus groups can be and it looks like there's a healthy mod scene, but it quickly got repetitive and bored me.
2.5/5
Doki Doki LIterature Club (PC)
A game that isn't anything close to how it appears. I'm not one for most anime-styled games, nor am I a visual novel fan. But the psychological horror elements contrast so well against what the game presents itself to be and when the shit hits the fan it doesn't let up. This game does things I've never seen a game do, and it excels at them.
5/5
Alan Wake (PC)
Revisiting this one. First played it around release. Engaging, with solid if unremarkable third-person shooting (the flashlight mechanic is neat.) The episodic format really works well. This was my first time through the DLC - The Signal DLC is super fun - I really enjoyed the twist on the world and how it played on the concept of shining your light on words to make items appear. I almost wish at certain points it made you choose between items. This DLC also seemed a bit more difficult. Short, sweet, and too the point though. The Writer was fun as well, the hamster wheel/ferris wheel was fantastic, and it continued a great story, but I feel The Signal was just stronger overall.
4/5
270: Two-Seventy US Election (PC)
A fun little waste of a few hours but once you understand the mechanics and start winning it loses a lot of its appeal.
2.5/5
God Of War (PS4)
The best game I've played of the year so far. A fantastic story, great combat (the Leviathan Axe is amazing), and plenty to keep you coming back. The real challenge, though, is the valkyrie boss battles you can complete. Did I do them all? Yes, I did. But Sigrun alone took me a week. I became a man when I played God Of War.
5/5
Civilization V (PC)
My second pass at this game. It's fun at the start, but never manages to hold my attention. I had a similar issue with another 4X game a few years ago (Endless Space 2) and I've come to the realization I just don't think these games are for me.
2.5/5
The Last Of Us: Remastered (PS4)
A replay of a masterpiece. It's always nice to revisit The Last Of Us. The characters and story are fantastic, but I also really love the gameplay. It's gritty, realistic, and there's a lot to think about when you play through on hard like I did.
5/5
Call Of Duty: WW2 (PS4)
Note: I only played the multiplayer.
The multiplayer was alright for a Call Of Duty game. As with most Call Of Duty games, I played it for a bit then moved on. I don't feel a strong desire to check out the campaign, and the zombies mode was shut down minutes after firing it up for me. It feels like WW2 held my attention far less than other Call Of Duty games, but it is a nice break from the jetpacks and wallrunning that seemed to define the series this gen.
2.5/5
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2017) (PS4)
Fun multiplayer. That being said, even with all the amazing progress that's been made, it feels unlikely Battlefront 2 will ever step out of the shadow of its launch state no matter how much free content EA poured into it. That being said, this feels like Star Wars - the battles, the sound effects, I love it.
3/5
Detroit: Become Human (PS4)
Detroit: Become Human might just be the best Quantic Dream game. It has a lot going for it, I really enjoyed the many different paths the story can take. I was a little split on the flow chart at the end: on one hand, it kind of removes the mystery. But it also shows you, often times at mind-boggling length, just how far different paths can take you and how you can get locked out of entire sections.
3.5/5
The Last Of Us: Part 2 (PS4)
A game that has an incredible first half, and a repetitious and uninteresting 2nd half. Though I think this game might just have my favorite combat of any game, the bland and overly-long sections where you're forced to play as Abby just didn't do it for me, and have killed any desire I have to replay the game. Ironically, I really wish now the game had shipped with multiplayer as I could dive into that amazing gameplay without feeling the slog of the back half of the game. Ellie's story, and parts of Abby's, are great. But the game should have been shorter.
2.5/5
Darkwood (Switch)
Note: I did not beat this game. I only got an hour or two in.
Interesting mechanics and imagery but couldn't hold my attention. Doubt I will return to it. Was hoping it would be more engrossing than it was.
2/5
Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered (PS4)
It had an enjoyable campaign, with a few key moments. The missions that most hype up, ie "All Ghillied Up" didn't really do it for me. I vastly preferred the other missions. That being said, the gameplay doesn't hold up fantastically today. It's competent, but with a basic story. Nothing incredible.
3/5
Far Cry 3: Classic Edition (PS4)
The open world is neat, the island definitely has personality. However the best part of the game is Vaas. With his death occurring just a little over 2/3 of the way through, it leaves the rest of the game with a considerable void. One I probably should've given up on sooner. Mechanics are good, but it feels dated and repetitive the more you play.
3/5
Pillars Of Eternity: Complete Edition (PS4)
A good game that should've been great. Were it not for the bloated second act and lack of consequence, this game could've been a 5/5. Reminded me of Dragon Age: Origins in key points. Great worldbuilding and decent-to-good characters and companions. Lots of dialogue options, but they don't end up mattering much.
4/5
Doom (2016) (PS4)
One of the best FPS games ever made. A return to the arena FPS games of yesteryear, Doom seamlessly blends fast-paced gunplay and tight mechanics with some serviceable leveling and a decent story. Make no mistake: the focus here is the gunplay, and it holds up incredibly well throughout the campaign.
5/5
Super Mario 64 (Switch)
Note: I did not beat this game.
A classic to be sure. But one I didn't end up sticking with past a few hours. This one does feel best left in my childhood. Playing it now, it doesn't grab my attention as much. The music is timeless though.
2.5/5
Resident Evil 2 (PS4)
A wonderful return to survival horror, and my personal preferred Resident Evil game from this decade. 2 does so much right that it's so easy to look past its few shortcomings. Every encounter is tense, and the pace is kicked into overdrive once Mr. X shows up. Every enemy is a threat, the game drips atmosphere, and will leave you shook more than once.
4.5/5
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) (PS4)
Note: I only played the multiplayer.
Got pretty addicted to the multiplayer for a bit. I had fun with the added realism, the weapons sound phenomenal and handle great. But, as with all Call Of Duty games, I got to level 30 or 40 and hung it up. One of the best Call Of Duty games in a long while.
4/5
Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
A fun little platformer that retains the series' signature wonky (and amazingly fun) weapons. There's nothing quite like using your Groovitron to send hordes of enemies into a dance mid-battle. Aside from the weapons however, this is a pretty standard platformer and the story feels incredibly safe. The humor works most of the time with how self-aware it is.
3/5
Spider-Man (PS4)
The best Spider-Man game ever? It's certainly up there. With an open world full of collectibles, tons of side-quests, a fun take on the Spider-Man lore, and great gameplay, Spider-Man is everything one could want in a Spider-Man game. Yes, the combat can feel a little too Arkham-style at times, but the game doesn't overstay its welcome and it works incredibly well.
4/5
Borderlands: Game Of The Year Edition (PS4)
Note: I did not finish this game and I played it solo.
I'm hot and cold on this one. On one hand, I literally could not care less about the story and that's good for pick-up-and-play sessions. But I don't feel compelled to return to it. This one will probably remain unfinished indefinitely. An okay looter-shooter.
2.5/5
Magicka 2 (PS4)
Note: I did not finish this game and I played it solo.
A fun little top-down action game, but I wish the levels allowed for the level of spell creativity that I thought it would. I ended up spamming familiar attacks instead of experimenting with new ones because I was playing solo. Definitely intended for co-op. However, the music and humor was pretty great and the game, while repetitious, didn't drag.
3/5
Halo 3 (Xbox One)
Note: I only played the multiplayer.
I always sucked at Halo multiplayer, but 3 takes me back to a more carefree time. I didn't stick with it, but the few hours I spent with it were fun. Remembering all of the old levels and times I used to play it was more fun than playing it now. The announcer's voice is still epic, though.
2.5/5
Gears Of War 4 (Xbox One)
Note: I only played the multiplayer.
The Gears Of War multiplayer is something you have to adapt to. As a Call Of Duty player, I tend to rush and you have to wallhug and be in cover 90% of the time to survive in this game. But there's a nice element of strategy to it and I love the executions and the lancer.
3/5

GAME OF THE YEAR

It's been a long, crazy, quarantine-filled year! But only one game can stand out amid all the others. And it is . . .
God of War There's no argument. This game surpassed my high expectations and is now one of my top 5 games of all time. Let's go Ragnarok!
Runner Up: Resident Evil 2 I honestly didn't know if I'd like Resident Evil 2. But after finishing it, I immediately played through the B scenario, and that is incredibly unusual behavior for me. Addicting and very well paced!

MOST SURPRISING

Sometimes a game hits you a way you didn't expect. This game got its hooks in me in a way I didn't think, or I wasn't expecting it to.
Doki Doki Literature Club I will say no more on this other than you need to download and play it. It's free, it'll run on a potato, and it'll hook you hard.
Runner Up: Pillars Of Eternity Look, I've played CRPG games before. But I've never finished one. I put over 90 hours into this game. That's the 3rd or 4th most played game ever for me, and it was one playthrough. This game did something right.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

And lastly, sometimes games you're amped/hyped for don't swing for you. And thus we have the most disappointing category.
Undertale I literally sorted my Steam library by highest user rating. That's how I ended up playing this. I don't like anything about it besides the music. The humor didn't click for me, the characters felt off, it just wasn't for me and that left me with this "What am I missing?" feeling.
Runner Up: Darkwood Man, this should've been right up my alley. An abstract horror game with graphic imagery and tense survival. But it wasn't. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I gave it fair spin. I might try it again in the future, but I doubt it.

STATS

For nerds like me who are interested in the numbers.
I played 33 games this year. My average score was around 3.6 (which as an average is a little disappointing as I wanted to spend this year playing games I really loved but ended up being just "good".)
My most played genre was FPS at 30.3%, followed by Action at 21.2%.
Third-Person made up the majority of games' perspective I played at 41.4% (almost half!) followed by First Person at 31%. Not terribly surprising here - I enjoy both equally.
I played most games this year on my PS4 at 48.5%, followed by PC at 36.4%. Overall, I favorited any type of Console at 63.6%. I was actually expecting this to be higher. I tend to bounce back and forth - I think it's because the bulk of the PC games were played in the first half of the year.
I Beat 51.5% of the games I played this year. That might seem bad, but it's worth noting that 15.2% were games I only Played Multiplayer of, and and 6.1% were games that Had No End. Of games with an actual campaign, I Quit 15.2%, and I put 9.1% On Hold.

RECAP

Whew, that was a write-up! If you made it this far, thanks!
I think I'll keep my excel sheet going into next year. I tracked a ton of stuff I didn't even mention like secondary genre of games, the year it came out (to try and average what generation I was playing the most in), whether I have a desire to return to a certain game, etc.
It's been a hell of a year. I've no doubt thanks to the virus I've played more games than usual. But I've had some really fun times this year, and I've been more active on this sub which makes it even more enjoyable.
Thanks for reading!

Some things I would like rockstar to add in GTA 6?

WARNING: May contain spoilers for GTA games. + A bit Long to read.
Note: These are just my personal opinions and the following suggestions are only for story not online. Feel free to criticize or appreciate my suggestions. Also please excuse my poor grammar. Feel free to correct me on grammar, if you feel there is a need for it. I could use it to improve myself.
Hi, I am a big fan of GTA since GTA San Andreas. San Andreas is still my fav GTA game. One of the reasons I love GTA San Andreas is because of its feature rich gameplay and multi terrain map. That being said, I have been seeing significant improvements as the newer GTA games are released. For eg: GTA 4 took out a lot of features from San Andreas, but they up the graphics and they added a game engine which is absolutely brilliant comparing to the games released during 2008-2010. But I understand why they have to remove features like cycle, planes, parachuting etc, because they developed a new engine and it have limitations. Now when coming to GTA 5, again the visuals, physics and gameplay became a lot more polished and responsive. Even though they added a lot of features unavailable in GTA 4, they didn't go all the way imo. The game felt a lot shorter than GTA 4 and they also did not add a lot of features which are present, even in GTA San Andreas. Again I would give the benefit of doubt to Rockstar for not having a powerful enough console techs in the 2013s for spreading their wings. Now after starting to play RDR 2(please no spoilers, I am on chapter 2) and finding a lot of details and features in that game, I am sure Rockstar engine is currently developed enough to be able to spread their wings a little. Again I know that GTA games with cars, planes and modern city are much more taxing and complicated to develop compared to developing games like RDR which are mostly wilderness. Anyway there is no excuse for them now, because of the current consoles being powerful and we know that Rockstar is capable of making a feature rich, yet high quality game.
These are some of the feature I would like Rockstar to add in GTA 6:

A survival/ basic needs system. I am not saying they should force all players to this. I know some players want it fast paced like GTA 5. I would like them to add, two difficulty choice. a) Normal: For fast or normal paced gameplay, same as GTA 5. and, b) Hardcore/Survival: For people who like slower gameplay like RDR 2. I would like them to add Hunger, Thirst, Sleep + Fuel needs for cars. Higher difficulty during combat like headshots kill you in one hit and you die faster, so does the enemies. Which imo will make you want to prepare for combat like equipping bullet proof vests and helmets and also to use tactics rather than charging in head on.
No god-like accuracy for enemies and more tactical options for players during combat. Since I want combat in hard mode to be hell. I want enemies to not have unreasonable accuracy as they had in GTA 5. GTA 4 was ok imo, since if we shoot them they tend lose their focus, unfortunately Niko was a but clumsy in taking cover and aiming. Please no spawning of enemies right in front of you like in games like JC 3 and others. If more waves are coming let them come from vehicles and with other means, so that players can have a reasonable time to plan tactically.
Police should try to use non lethal force and only use guns as a last resort. One of the criticism I had in GTA 5 was that the cops are hyper Aggressive. For eg: in all GTA games more than one stars mean they shoot you down no matter what, right? Instead of that we should have an option to surrender even with 5 star police. Like for eg if you stay still and unnarmed, that should make the cops to move into arrest you rather than to shoot. On the other hand If resist or fight back let them bring hell.
Dating simulation: I kinda liked it in GTA 4. But this time I like more options both from internet and outside + players should be able to have a homosexual date. Why not let players choose the character to be straight, homosexual or bisexual? atleast during the dating simulation
Huge maps + A lot of secondary or stranger and freaks quests. It would be awesome if the map have a lot of towns, landmarks and also multiple cities like in San Andreas. Each towns and landmarks should have unique characters with quests and stories relating to that area.
Longer story: Tbh I felt GTA 5's story was a bit short. Maybe its just me, I like it when stories start slow at first introducing us to the world and character like in GTA 4 and then easing us into the core of the story.
Usage of various buildings in the city. In GTA 5, the city is gorgeous with a lot of important looking building, but they are all just decorative. In GTA 6, they should introduce more accessible buildings like hospital, where you can buy various medicines or get treated for diseases/limp damage(should they introduce it). Car shops: where player can inspect, test drive and buy various cars. Different car shops should have different genre or tier of cars. Malls, restaurants, motels, restrooms etc should have various functions. For eg: we could save games and get rest(if they add basic needs) by renting and sleeping in a motel. Should be able to buy lots of safehouses and businesses.
One of the feature I like in GTA 5 was the introduction of personal cars. But If we buy a car from GTA 5, it will not be visible in map as a result we will lose it especially if we are doing a mission with it. I want an option to install tracker in a newly bought car, so it is visible in the map. Its ok if the car is destroyed and we lost it for ever.
Please add a lot of side jobs. Like Taxi, cop etc + new ones, like non-story heists on various stores and building with rewards depending on how we play and how much we take. We should be able to chose which place to hit ourselves.
I know Rockstar tend to make GTA missions a murderous bloodbath. For eg: Usually, you go to a mission-things go south- you have to murder every enemy to complete the mission. Instead of this we need to be able to choose how we proceed, If it is an assassin mission, we need to be able to just kill the target instead of attacking the henchmen. For that they need to implement an amazing stealth system like the hitman games. Side characters and quest givers should react to it positively or negatively depending on their personality. We should be able to chose a more peaceful path or a rampage path ourselves.
Better female characters: One of the criticism I have for GTA 5 is the lack of interesting female characters. For me I felt like the female characters in GTA 5 was written to impress cringy internet dwelling sexists. I am not saying they shouldn't use sexism sarcastically, I mean after all this is a GTA game, but the female characters in GTA 5 were too boring and cringy. Even the female pedestrians were boring and none of them fights back. Most of the women characters in GTA 5 was either a damsel in distress or a hysterical woman. The only one important character I can think off was Paige Harris, who only appears very little. I am not saying rockstar makes bad female characters, for eg: GTA San Andreas had interesting female characters like CJ's sister Kendl, Catalina(a great match for Trevor imo) + some female pedestrians fights back, even some grandmas fought back which made it funny. GTA 4 have also interesting characters like Michelle, Elizabeth Torres, Mallorie. Even though Mallorie was sweet and harmless, she was important to the storyline, she even introduces Niko to some important cats in her area. Bonus, some female pedestrians fight back in GTA 4 too. RDR2: I am only at chapter 2(again no spoilers please) but, I found a lot more interesting female characters with a lot more depth, both on story mission and side quests, I was actually impressed by that since the setting was late 1800s.
Most important IMO: I do not like the GPS system, both in GTA 4 and GTA 5. My eyes hurt watching the minimap and I miss the gorgeous world while driving to a mission + unnecessary accidents, missing a turn etc. I would like a gps navigation style like in Just Cause 3, in which the directions to the location will be on the road rather than in minimap.

Optionals: Dialogue choices, Co-op for story, Journal/Diary entries like in RDR, Real Time map, npc react to your dresses and car which you can respond negatively or positively(like in SA), Greet pedestrians like RDR2, choice between a male and a female protagonist etc
CONCLUSION: These are some of the things I like them to add. They already have an amazing physics engine which is way ahead of some of the other developers. I would be happy even with GTA 5 PC/PS4 graphics + all the features I mentioned and a huge diverse map. But if they can make it with RDR 2 level graphics, it would be awesome.
So, fellow GTA players, What are your opinions about my list?
Thank You.

My views on how resin can be changed for the better.

My suggestions for changing the Resin system. Multiple ways to change the system from retune, to rework, complete removal. These include every idea I could think up in a relatively short period of time, their ups and downs, and how they can benefit MiHoYo.
Almost Necessary: Blue Leylines need to have their resin requirements removed almost definitely. Yellow/Gold Leylines COULD afford to be resin removed, just spawn rarely or once every few Blue Leylines, or probably best: require obtaining special leyline energy from Blue Leylines (say 3 blues = 1 yellow run) to activate. Divorcing EXP Book costs from Mora would go a long way as well to make the Gold ones worth more.
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System 1 - Retune (changes the pace of resin obtainment/spending)
-a type: Reduce the cost by 1/2. This one's a given. This gives people twice the time they can be active, but has the downside of requiring more times online to use it all up. This has its pros and cons.
----My thoughts: A stopgap measure, if anything. This is best used to cope until a final decision is made as to solving the Resin problem.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: Nothing really changes, except because they can get more done, the value of that 60 resin from the refreshes becomes more valuable, and thus the urge to spend money on it should feel less a waste.
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-b type: Increase gainrate to once per 4 minutes, increase cap by 3x (360 cap), costs halved per tier. This would cap it every 1440 minutes (24 hours). At 360, this would give us roughly 6x the playtime we get now (3 * 2 = 6), and summarize it to still only needing to play about once per day for the casuals. 3x rate will not break the game as far as power scaling, just offer more chances since the system currently implies a focus on horizontal progress rather than vertical. Might need to place an AR cap based on content progress (which I am certain is already a plan for the long run).
----My thoughts: Personally like this more than the a-type, if only because it provides a LOT more to do at once. However, it also might overwhelm the casuals more. This was simply a convenient combination to fill in the cap once per 24 hours and provide more to do. We could remove the cost halving, which would still in theory give us I believe about 1.5 hours a day of work.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: Much like above, the more each point of Resin increases in value, the more likely people are to invest on spending on the Resin. Basically no diff from Type A.
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-c type: Common to most Mobo games and can be used with basically every system here except Removal types A and B: Original Resin is increased by the user's cap whenever they level Adventure Level and overcaps (turns off regen while overcapped), on top of the Fragile Resin from the Adventurer's guild. This could be used with almost any of the below systems.
----My thoughts: This should have been in since the beginning, to be honest. It is considered a standard part of effectively every stamina-system in the mobile market.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: Not one bit more. This might hurt MiHoYo, but not as much as leaving the system as is anyhow as less people are likely to quit. Losing players = permanent loss of chance to gain even a single $ from that person. Retaining a person is more important as most of the profits will come from character rolls anyhow.
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System 2 - Rework (involves keeping Resin but changing its purpose)
-a type: Resin becomes a reward booster. This would however need to figure a new system to somewhat limit Resin. See System 3 for potentiality.
----My thoughts: This is a common idea, and for a simple stopgap, it is effective..
----How MiHoYo can still profit: If people can just spend Resin for boosted rewards, then resin automatically increases in worth. Instead of feeling like a necessity and thus Pay to Play, it instead feels like Pay to Advance Quicker, and people are usually more accepting to this line of thought.
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-b1 type: Resin is split into multiple types again. These types are Leyline, Boss, and Raid type Resins. Completing and turning in 4/4 Daily commissions restores your resins based on how often you're expected to normally complete them (IE: 100/200 Leyline/Domain ('lesser' Resin), 40/120 World Boss, 10/70 Raid Resins). Can conduct the type of activity based on the activity's cost in the game at that point.
----My thoughts: This would provide more to do, and allow people to specialize in what they want to do. However, there might be some PTSD about the 2nd Beta test I understand, what with the different types of Resin.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: By offering different resins for sale (and potentially a 'bundle' of resin), they can get people to invest more. Of course, the purchaseable resin would need to be cheaper than what we got now because it covers less, but in that respect people might still be willing to offer more of their money. By also increasing the natural flow via commission rewards, more long-term/hardcore players are likely to stay around and spend more.
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-b2 type: b1 type system, but with only 'original resin'. Completing commissions would allow for additional resin on top of natural recharge.
----My thoughts: Simple but effective version of b1. Allows people to work towards more content, rather than be perpetually blocked, just like B1. It also keeps it simple, which is often a necessity when it comes to dealing with casuals.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: In this case, I'd probably just increase the paid refreshes to 120 Stamina/Resin instead of 60. People are more willing to make a purchase the more they think they're getting for it, and right now only the whaleiest whales are willing to whale on Resin.
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-b3 sub-system: On top of S2 b1 (or B2) system, the system can include crafting resin in the alchemy table. Green world mats (world mats = Hilichurl masks, slimes, etc) can be (in the b1 system) converted to leyline, blue materials to boss, purple to Raid type, gold materials can restore all 3 types (in B2 type, it's general purpose and tier provides more). This gives reason to play the game casually to continue to grind while slowing progress. Would require a type of World Boss material for each type too (IE: Fatui Recruit/etc sigils for Raid Resins).
----My thoughts: Of the rework methods, my favorite. Provides the player a choice system - do they want to save the mats for ascensions/talents, or spend them for more chances at rare artifacts from say Stormterror and other World Boss items. It also would give people some downtimes to allow the adrenaline to fade, allowing for a higher chance of them relaxing and choosing to go to sleep.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: 1: StarglimmeStardust will become way more used for obtaining materials to shortcut the creation process rather than grind. Win-Win. This means more liberal use of it and some may roll even more just to replenish it.
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System 3 - 'Stamina' Removal (can work with System 2 a-type rework)
-Removal type a: The blatant one that I do not suggest: remove it entirely, let the bulls run free.
----My thoughts: My god this is prone to cause complaints. The casuals will quit simply because they will have this belief that the min-maxers will obsess on getting the absolute best with absolutely no limits. The hardcores may well get bored. Needs a LITTLE restriction. IF this is to be done, it should be done MUCH later in the game's lifetime. Preferably around the time we reach Snezhnaya in order for as much content as possible to be available so people can avoid burning themselves out as much as possible.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: This is still as I said an absolute worst case scenario. At best more people will stay and play. But it also means Resin sales disappear. On the upside people may be more willing to roll with EXP/Mora problems gone, as they no longer need to worry about restraints to level their characters. It will also risk alienating the casuals as they will feel they can't keep up/suceed as much due to the unlimited progress of the hardcore players, and they may rage quit out of a lack of feeling relevant in the content. The way to turn this into profit would be to make world drops WAY less common, which makes glitteglimmer purchases on materials more valuable. Again, not a smart call in any way shape or form.
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-Removal type b: Add timers to all the content types. Example: 1 Leyline per 10 minutes. 1 Domain per 10 minutes. 1 World Boss per 3 hours (each could have their own timer). 1 Raid Boss per week (as is current).
----My thoughts: Not the best choice. It effectively just replaces Resins with Timers, but does increase how much we can do by limiting all content by timers instead of resin. *The worst part is, this will force players to spread their time out. This means those who only have a short period of time will be unable to complete everything. I suggest the following.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: They don't. Again at best this provides more playtime and extends playtime, however it also means that more casual players may quit as they cannot do ALL their work in one burst in between jobs, sleep, etc. It's a really, REALLY risky move that doesn't favor the casual at all.
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-Removal type c: Every form of content is ultimately unlocked to play through some sort of world activity, beyond a certain # of free activities per type per day/week. This can be tweaked around with to find a good balance so people can play and go). IE: Say we don't change leylines as I suggested. Players start with say 4 Leyline and 4 Domain clears a day, and 3 World Boss Clears. From there, players start with Whopperflower material + a Fatui Agent Blade (Mora) or Cicin Grass (EXP) to make the alchemical reagent that agitates the growth of leyline flowers, higher tier materials of both = better rewards from the leyline and higher grade/difficulty for the next step.
The leylines would drop an item of the tier you input that you use to mix with a different world item to either do a domain or fight a lesser world boss (IE: Fatui Insignia opens up the Weapon Ascension domains when crafted with this item. Flaming Flower Stamen with this item allows you to fight Pyrovine).
The Domain + World boss would drop items that when combined let you fight any Raid Boss (IE: Stormterror). This would create a growing gameplay loop that would also limit players from easily gaining power infinitely.
(Of course, the potential of changing the Leyline system as I suggested at the very beginning would allow players to say obtain special materials from Gold Leylines to do Domains, Domains to do World bosses, World Bosses to do Raids, or any sort of combination leading up to Raids. The potential's there!)
----My thoughts: A mixture of the System 2 b3 system with a stamina-style resin removal. This basically provides all the tools for modification as the creation team needs. It allows for free access on a limited 'stock' basis per day/week. This is similar to the Removal B type. In addition it borrows the System 2 b3 concept of being able to 'craft' additional access for the more hardcore players, gating them from gaining infinite power rapidly, but also allowing them to play to their own desire. In general this in my mind has the most potential to be successful, but it would probably require testing to see how successful it is. A possibility is to make the materials for World Bosses cost significantly more, like 10,000 or 100,000 mora, in order to help gate it further.
----How MiHoYo can still profit: In every single way possible. As noted below, this can be hybridized with the B-type Stamina Rework, which already has its viability. With the additional benefits of the Starglitteglimmer section, that's ANOTHER avenue. It covers casuals and hardcores. While I may not have every angle covered, I would say, without a doubt, it is the best solution I could think of to improve the game overall. The only issue is players may get tired of this gameplay loop, but that's what new content is for.
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My overall thoughts: Ideally, we want players to feel incentivized to play as much as they want, but not feel punished for not grinding. We also want to make it rewarding so that the players who want to play casually can do so. To do this, we need to allow players to burst through at least once a day, and if players want, grind to their hearts content, but make it an uphill battle.
My solution would be, in that case, Removal Type C with a System 2 A-type bonus. As suggested in Removal Type C, we could say allow people a max of say 3 Leylines a day, 3 Domains a day, a World Boss a Day, and a Raid boss a day guaranteed. This would be about 30 minutes of non-commission material if I'm doing my mental math right, excluding the Raid bosses on reset (although they can shift that as they wish).
Resin, which would probably be restricted to about 120 a day refreshed on the daily reset, can thus be spent in values based on the current system, allowing for say 1 Raid Boss boost + 1 World Boss boost + 1 Domain/Leyline boost, or 6 Leyline Boosts, or say 3 World Boss Boosts. This would at least allow them to progress at their own pace. They could still sell Resin refreshes too for those who just want to progress in the shortest amount of time with the least effort (great for the whales, who would be able to potentially buy resin refreshes AND materials off the shop using Stardust/StarGlitter to get plenty of refreshes through the resin purchases AND by crafting via shortcut).
With this also, you could provide a sense of chasing down world rare mobs like the Whopperflowers - also creating a balancing act between hard grinding up for rare artifacts, or ascending your weapons/talents/etc by not investing them in the heavy grind, giving a sense of choice and making getting an additional Raid Challenge an Accomplishment. Of course, new materials can be added instead to do this instead of say using Whopperflowers, Fatui Agent Blades, etc etc, which can be obtained through new World Events that occur often (maybe once per 10-15 minutes) across the world and tracked on map/adventure book. There's a few ways to do this.
Also we could offer a Fragile Resin in most activities as a hyper rare drop. Events could offer a higher chance. We want to incentivize people to play more, because the more they play (and potentially co-op to see rare characters) the most likely they are to feel the game's worth investing in.
Adventure Rank obviously needs caps, but unsure what they plan to do in the future (Rainbow Rarity materials mayhaps?).
Overall a number of these systems (retune, rework, remove) can be mixed, intertwined, etc, allowing for a decent amount of change and depth to the gameplay loop. IE: even if you went with a System 3 (removal), you could use the System 2 B1 in the System 2 A-style to provide specific resins that can be used per content type to boost their rewards individually.
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My thoughts on burnout: Who. Cares. On one end, people will quit because they burn out, and likely return because of new content unless they flat out dislike the game. On the other end, people will quit because the content is so little that there's no reason to play outside of dailies. So then comes the question of who benefits more from each? I'd argue that more playtime/content is better. The lifeblood of games nowadays is a strong community, and having streamers enhancing that community through their viewerbases only improves that. Why would streamers benefit more from more resin/playtime? Because then they could afford to play with their viewers, creating interaction with their communities and enhancing the experience moreso. They could also visit viewer worlds to gather more materials from additional Whopperflowers/etc which would have direct benefits on their progress. This again enhances the co-op experience.
My thoughts on "Gacha Game" needs limits: not an argument. My first gacha game was SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online. Literally no stamina system. There were PVE missions (generic ones based on anime concepts as well as actual anime episodes) and PVP. You played, gained coins, rolled for units. You could buy coins to also roll units. You could win blueprints at random (some PVE exclusive) or bought them from the store, and used units to make more advanced units. It was popular and only died because Koreans couldn't keep the rights to use the suits, far as we understood. So no, a Gacha game doesn't need a stamina system.
My thoughts on "Mobile Game" need limits: Not an argument. This game exists on 3 platforms: PC, PS4, and Mobile. Mobile makes up 1/3rd of the platforms. I view it more as a PC/Console game that you can play on mobile, more than a mobile game you can play on PC/Console. Maybe MaHoYo means it that way, but my thought is 'nothing's stopping them from making Genshin a Console-level game on Mobile other than preconception it has to be mobile'. The Switch works in a similar manner, a Switch game can STILL play on PC/larger console.
My thoughts on you disagree with me: Reasonable minds can differ. I made suggestions that cater to casual, hardcore, and both in this list. If you disagree with all then I'm afraid we're beyond reasonable conversation here.

10 Overlooked Indie Platform Games

There are also some links within the first link that discuss indie local multiplayer games and upcoming indie games as well.
Note that previous lists were not themed solely around platform games.
Introduction
We're all familiar with the Shovel Knight’s, A Hat in Time’s, and Celeste's of the world. These are some of the indie platform games that hit the big time. Of course, for every one of these games, there's 100 other indie games that have been glossed over, relegated to a spot in a digital store few people will ever find themselves in. I wanted to bring attention to some of these lesser known indie games once again.
Platformers from Previous Lists
I’m going to list the platformers that were in the previous three lists. None of them will reappear on this new list. 1-6 are from the first list, 7-11 are from the second list, and 12-14 are from the third list. They are as follows: (1.) Four Sided Fantasy, (2.) Daggerhood, (3.) Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight, (4.) Biolab Wars, (5.) Gravity Duck, (6.) Penarium, (7.) Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX), (8.) Hayfever, (9.) Duck Souls+, (10.) Cybarian: The Time-Traveling Warrior, (11.) Verlet Swing, (12.) Valfaris, (13.) Primal Light, and (14.) Tamashii. Note that both Biolab Wars and Valfaris are listed as run & guns, but they have platforming elements and are considered platformers by some people. Hayfever and Valfaris were my favorite games for their respective lists and are some of my favorite games in the genre. These 14 games listed range from puzzle platformers, precision platformers, action platformers, first person 3D platformers, Metroidvanias, run & guns, etc. There’s also Flat Heroes from my 10 local co-op recommendations list found as a link within the first post. Guacamelee is on there too, though it doesn’t qualify as an overlooked game.
Details About the List
All 9 games available on Steam are currently on sale. When this post is 17 hours old, the sales for these games will be over. Genre is going to be more like a short descriptor of the game for this list since these are all platformers. I’ve also included games with local co-op mixed in with solely single player games, including one built around the co-op experience for this list (before I did separate lists for single player only and games that included local co-op). I'm going to order them according to Metacritic Critic Ratings. One of the games towards the bottom has a pretty low rating (60%) that I personally disagree with, but it's only fair that you hear from more than just me. Since Steam has 9/10 of the games on the list (Switch has 8 of them, Xbox One has 6 of them, PlayStation 4 has 5 of them, and Wii U has 1 of them), I will be using the Steam Metacritic Critic Rating of each game, except for #9, where I will use the PlayStation 4 version, since that’s the only version of it available currently. I’m going to list 5 2D and 5 3D platformers for this list. For the purpose of this post, I’m just going to stick with saying “achievements” and “getting all achievements” instead of “trophies” and “platinum trophy” since Steam has 9 of the games on the list. You can basically substitute these with “trophies” and “platinum trophy” if you’re a PlayStation gamer. I will make mention of the two games on here that don’t include a platinum trophy however.
Platforms will include a link to the U.S. store page of the game for each platform. Price is in U.S. dollars.
1. Levelhead

Platforms: Xbox One, Switch, Steam, iOS, Android
Includes 4 Player Local Co-op
Regular Price: $19.99
Steam Sale Price: $13.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Main Theme
Genre: 2D Level Creation Platformer
Metacritic: 80% from 1 Critic Review, 90% from 1 User Rating
Description: Levelhead is a drag and drop maker game with a robust set of tools, cross functionality between all platforms, and cloud saves. The most obvious comparison is Super Mario Maker, and on consoles the UI and tools for creating levels are very similar (D-Pad to cycle through items, analog stick to place). However, Levelhead brings a number of elements to the table to make it way more than just a budget clone: near instant respawns upon death, a marketing department to advertise your levels, more advanced switches and logic systems, more mixing and matching between backgrounds and music, etc. Levelhead fixes a persistent problem found in nearly all maker games: many levels are simply dead in the water as soon as they’re pushed out. In Levelhead, the more levels you play, the more marketing currency you earn that can be in turn spent to push your levels to the top. It’s a kind of “play for play” scenario that cuts out the middle man, social media, and integrates it all into the game.
Description Continued: Levelhead also has some unique items that make it standout – in particular, the powerups. There are seven of these and they can really transform the platforming. The Zipper, for example, will teleport your character four tiles ahead through everything but lead blocks. The local co-op allows for up to four players to both create and play levels, including the campaign (known as “Training” in the game) that helps introduce you to the items and tools of the game. There have been a number of updates since its initial release in April 2019 and Community Spotlights on the Steam page of the game.
Completion Time: ~5 Hours
Extra Content: There are over 75,000 community levels to play, with more being added every day. This game could potentially last you hundreds of hours. Achievements are very difficult and would likely require you to make high quality levels to get them all, as some are dependent on the number of people who have played your level.

2. Splasher

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Steam
Regular Price: $14.99
Steam & PlayStation 4 Sale Price: $3.74 (Ends January 20th on PlayStation 4)
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Capture
Genre: 2D Precision Platformer
Metacritic: 79% from 7 Critic Reviews, 68% from 18 User Ratings
Description: It’s no surprise a group of ex-Rayman developers went on to create another fantastic platformer (not to be confused with Unruly Heroes). The main hook of Splasher are the three liquid abilities you find that influence how your character moves and jumps. Red paint will allow you to stick to surfaces and run on walls and ceilings, yellow paint will bounce you to new heights, and water can be used to undo the effects of either and rescue other splashers trapped by the paint. The game is fast paced, so knowing when to use which is as important as jumping at the right time. You’re eased into each new ability for a few stages before getting a new one so it’s never overwhelming.
Description Continued: Each level has six other splashers to rescue that each spell a letter of the word “Splash.” These act as an expanded test of your platforming abilities. There are also one to three segregated zones per level – these are single screen areas you must survive or win to rescue one of the other splashers. Making these optional zones that exist outside the regular level is a great touch because it allows the game to keep its fast paced “always be moving” approach while still allowing for greater variety in gameplay. You’ll typically either need to defeat a certain number of enemies or platform around the room to release the splasher. There’s only one boss that comes at the end of the game – the rest of the time you’ll be running, jumping, and painting.
Completion Time: ~5 Hours
Extra Content: I only rescued 2/3 of the splashers my first time around, so it will likely take a couple hours to save the rest. In addition, there’s a time trial mode that rewards you three different medals based on your time, as well as online leaderboards that measure your time against the rest of the world.

3. Marble It Up!

Platforms: Switch, Steam
Regular Price: $19.99
Steam Sale Price: $14.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: The Conqueror
Genre: 3D Marble-based Platformer
Metacritic: 76% from 2 Critic Reviews, 83% from 4 User Ratings
Description: This comes from many of the same people who worked on the Marble Blast series from the early 2000s. The most mainstream comparison to this game would probably be Super Monkey Ball, though unlike that game you control the marble directly here rather than the stage. Your marble can jump and user powerups, and many times you’ll have to use the momentum to overcome the obstacles in front of you. Levels are usually linear, though there are many levels that tasks you with collecting gems in a more open area. There’s a great sense of speed to the levels, and with the proper timing of a good jump this allows you to forge your own path in many levels. Since each level is timed, you’ll see that many of the top players have found a way outside the expected path to the finish. This is great for speedrunning enthusiasts, though it’s still a fun time even if you’re not looking to climb the leaderboards.
Description Continued: Medals are awarded based on your completion time of each level, and the fact that they’re pretty short makes them highly replayable. There are also trophies to find in each level that allow you to unlock more marbles. You can choose between 100+ different marbles to play as. The game leans on the easier side – frequent checkpoints, large platforms, no time-outs, etc., but you’ll likely still die a few times before finishing a level. There are a few nice quality of life features I also appreciate: you can switch music tracks on the pause screen, use either the shoulder buttons or face buttons to jump and use power-ups, hide the timer if fast moving numbers intimidate you, reset the stage with a push of a button, and rewind time in practice mode.
Completion Time: ~4 Hours
Extra Content: You can try for the platinum medal on each level, find the collectible trophy in each level, participate in the daily challenges, and try to top the leaderboards. There are also over 100 unique marbles to collect that are awarded for doing the aforementioned challenges. The Steam version also has Steam Workshop support, which allows you to create and play custom user created content.

4. Spark the Electric Jester 2

Platforms: Xbox One, Steam
Regular Price: $19.99
Steam Sale Price: $8.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Technoria City
Genre: 3D Sonic-like Action Platformer
Metacritic: 75% from 1 Critic Review, 76% from 5 User Ratings
Description: This is the sequel to the original 2D PC exclusive from 2017, with another 3D sequel currently in production. If you care at all for the story, it’s recommended you play or at least read about what happened in the first game. Spark 2 actually follows Fark, another jester. Spark 2 emulates many of the high speed moments found in 3D Sonic games, but brings a few ideas of its own. In particular, action is a bigger focus in this game, though platforming is still the priority. Enemies are easy enough to run past with a few exceptions for mini bosses at the end of some levels and the nine main bosses. In addition, enemies can also add to your score.
Description Continued: In addition to Fark’s expanded move-set in combat, he also has the ability to double jump, dash, and wall jump. The jumps give you a lot of air time, lending more leniency to the platforming, and the dash is great for building momentum. There’s quite a bit to explore in each level too – jumping off ramps in the middle of loopdeloops will sometimes result in you finding the game’s main collectible, floppy disks. Fark can also acquire four additional costumes found within the levels that offer some variation in abilities. The game offers five difficulties at the start, with it recommending the second easiest option, Normal, as the default way to play your first time through. Bosses on this difficulty are fairly easy provided you’re competent with timing when to use your shield, though I did lose once or two against a few of them.
Completion Time: ~3 Hours
Extra Content: The game measures both your time and score for each level and rewards you with a gold or platinum medal depending on your performance. Getting all the medals for each of the 14 levels and nine bosses add a few hours to the game. There’s also a Tour Mode that tests you with specific challenges, like beating the whole game with only five lives. In addition, there are 109 floppy disks to find that unlock art. I only found 18 on my first playthrough. You can also replay the game on one of the higher difficulties. The game requires you 100% complete all of this for 100% achievement attainment.

5. Never Alone - Arctic Collection

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Steam, Android
Includes 2 Player Local Co-op
Regular Price: $17.99 ($14.99 for just the base game)
Steam Sale Price: $2.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Hilltop
Genre: 2D Co-op Focused/Narrative/Puzzle Platformer
Metacritic: 72% from 30 Critic Reviews, 63% from 107 User Ratings
Description: Never Alone centers around an Inupiat girl and a fox and tells a story based on Inupiat folktales. The Inupiat are an Alaskan Native people. The entire game takes place in this icy climate, with the story revolving around the girl finding the source of a blizzard sweeping away her village. This is a slower paced platformer and tends to lean on the easy side of things. The game is built around the co-op experience much like Untravel Two, Putty Pals, and Biped. However Never Alone assigns a unique role to each of the two characters. Only the fox can wall jump and bring visibility to spirits (who act as platforms), while the girl can push crates and throw magical beads.
Description Continued: While the game is built around the cooperation of the two players, it can still be enjoyed in single player, with the player being able to switch between both characters when playing solo. There are a few set-piece moments I don’t see in a lot of 2D platformers that really adds to the feeling of being on a long journey far away from home. The music is also appropriately ambient and reflects the desolate wintery environments. When playing through the game you’ll come across collectibles called “cultural insights,” which are videos that tell you more about the Inupiat culture.
Completion Time: ~4 Hours (including the 1 hour Foxtales DLC bundled with the Arctic Collection)
Extra Content: You can try to collect all the cultural insights and find all the secrets. Getting all achievements will require you to do so. There is no platinum trophy for this game.

6. Shadow Blade: Reload

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Switch, Steam, Android, iOS
Regular Price: $9.99
Steam Sale Price: $2.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Jade City
Genre: 2D Action Platformer
Metacritic: 70% from 10 Critic Reviews, 82% from 21 User Ratings
Description: Searching developer Dead Mage’s website for Children of Morta DLC updates exposed me to one of their earlier works – an action platformer reminiscent of Shinobi and Strider. Among a sea of pixel art 2D platformers, Shadow Blade stands out with its 3D characters and backgrounds. And the gameplay complements the modern work – your character has a number of moves at his disposable: wall jumps, wall slides, a downward jump attack, a dash, throw shuriken, etc. Getting in the flow of a level and being able to string all these moves together with the right timing feels really good.
Description Continued: While there are boss fights and times where you’ll be locked in a room forced to dispatch enemies, the game leans much heavier on its platforming elements. Many enemies can simply be evaded, though dispatching them can also increase your score at the end of each level. In addition, there are collectibles and a constant timer that also weighs in on your performance at the end of each level. The game is a bit easier than most 2D platformers, but getting a perfect grade is a difficult thing to achieve. Cutscenes are presented in the style of a comic book. While the story itself isn’t particularly novel, the presentation lends it a more unique flavor.
Completion Time: ~3 Hours
Extra Content: You can try for a perfect grade on each level. There is also a separate Challenge Mode that has specially designed levels that are of a greater challenge than what’s found in the main campaign with leaderboard rankings. There are two higher difficulties that can be unlocked. In addition, the Steam version has Steam Workshop integration with a level editor and custom levels to play. Getting all achievements would be very difficult. There is no platinum trophy.

7. Pumpkin Jack

Platforms: Xbox One, Switch, Steam, Android, [PlayStation 4 version planned for 2021]
Regular Price: $29.99
Steam Sale Price: $22.49
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: The Wizard
Genre: 3D Action Platformer
Metacritic: 70% from 2 Critic Reviews, 90% from 1 User Rating
Description: This is a 3D platformer that reportedly takes inspiration from both MediEvil and Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. There’s about equal amounts of platforming and combat in this game. While the combat is relatively simple, you’re given a variety of weapons that all feel unique. The levels have a good amount of variety within them – you’ll jump between ships on a ferry ride, ride an undead horse through the sky, play a few mini games as a headless Jack, and fight a boss at the end of each of the six levels. Both the combat and platforming are relatively easy – platforms are typically large and Jack has an edge grab that helps tremendously, and smashing the many destructible objects around the levels increases your health.
Description Continued: This game takes the linear adventure approach, with a number of collectibles sprinkled throughout the levels: crow skulls, presents, and gramophones. Some areas are more open and allow you to choose the order in which you do certain tasks. The game has a decent amount of dialogue in it, which does an effective job of giving some character to Jack, his two animal companions, and the rest of the cast. The visuals and soundtrack are particularly great, especially if you’re into Halloween themed media.
Completion Time: ~4 Hours
Extra Content: There’s collectibles to back for – I got about 2/3 of the collectibles on my first playthrough – skins to unlock – which are purchased with the collectibles you find in the levels – and you get to start a second playthrough with all the weapons already unlocked at the beginning. You’ll also be able to return to any level you want via the level select menu. Getting all achievements is contingent on collecting all the crow skulls, gramophones, and outfits (presents were added in a later update and so aren’t required for 100% achievement attainment).

8. Unbox: Newbie’s Adventure

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, Steam
Includes a Separate 4 Player Local Competitive/Versus Multiplayer Mode
Regular Price: $29.99
Steam Sale Price: $3.99
PlayStation 4 Sale Price: $5.99 (Ends January 20th)
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Parcel Peaks
Genre: 3D Collectathon Platformer
Metacritic: 68% from 6 Critic Reviews, 81% from 7 User Ratings
Description: Unbox takes heavy inspiration from Banjo Kazooie and other collectathons of the fifth generation but has levels far larger than any Nintendo 64 platformer. Fortunately your customizable character can cover huge amounts of ground very quickly via the unbox mechanic, which is basically a super jump you can use up to six times before you need replenishment via item pickups or checkpoints. Both the jump and unbox mechanic are tied to the shoulder buttons, which takes some getting used to but is ultimately one I’m in favor of, as it allows for camera control without removing your thumb from the jump or unbox buttons. The high speeds you can travel make for some great exploration, but the game is still able to disable your ability to unbox by giving you a “fragile” item, allowing for more carefully considered platforming sections.
Description Continued: Each of the three major worlds have four major collectibles: 200 gold tape, 10 caged zippies, 18 stamps, and 1 super stamp rewarded upon defeating the boss of the world. There is also a hub world that has just 200 gold tape to collect. The 18 stamps are the jiggies or stars of the game, and they’re primarily what you’re after to advance the game. 9 of them are hidden across the world, while the other 9 are given by NPCs upon the completion of a task: Digi will ask you to take an item from point A to point B with some platforming in between, Dash will ask you to complete three races around different areas of the map, Superbox will ask you to destroy 20 enemies in X amount of time, etc. The other collectibles simply unlock more cosmetic options for your character.
Completion Time: ~7 Hours
Extra Content: The game only requires you collect 2/3 of the stamps to beat the game. If you want to collect all the stamps, zippies, and gold tape, this could more than double your playtime, as the worlds are massive and finding all the gold tape is a daunting task, though they do make a distinct noise when you are near them once you’ve collected half of them in a level. Your friendly companion Bounce will also give you visual clues on where to find whatever collectible you might be stuck on. I was able to find all the collectibles in the first world but three gold tape with next to no issues, though Bounce helped me with the remaining three. I really have to commend the developers for their inclusion of both audio cues and visual guides built within the game to guide you to collectibles – it makes collecting every last thing a lot less tedious. The high speeds of your character allow you great traversal of the world, which also helps with collecting everything. The achievements require you to collect everything. There is no platinum trophy. In addition to the single player campaign, there are quite a few local multiplayer modes for up to four players – these include Boxing, Collect, Thief, Oddbox, and Delivery. The developers go into more detail on each mode here.

9. A Tale of Paper

Platforms: PlayStation 4, [Steam version planned for 2021]
Regular Price: $14.99
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Unfortunately there’s no soundtrack online.
Genre: 3D Little Nightmares-like Atmospheric Platformer
Metacritic: 60% from 4 Critic Reviews, 70% from 3 User Ratings
Description: A Tale of Paper takes direct inspiration from Little Nightmares, sporting the same sideview camera angle and minimalist narrative. It’s a little less creepy, has a bit more platforming, and it has the interesting twist of transforming into a variety of different origamis on the fly: from a little alien creature, to a frog, to a ball, to a paper airplane, etc., all with the push of a button. You’ll use a combination of different origami shapes to overcome the obstacles in the area, and you’ll be accompanied by some gorgeous sceneries in the process.
Description Continued: The gameplay is pretty easy in both its platforming and puzzles, making it an easygoing, movie-esque kind of game. While the story is minimalist, it results in a satisfying conclusion, and it really feels like you’ve been through quite a journey even with the short runtime. The game evokes the feeling of being a tiny specimen in a larger-than-life world – Toy Story 2 is probably the most apt comparison I can make. Outside of Little Nightmares, I haven’t played another game quite like this.
Completion Time: ~1.5 Hours
Extra Content: I got seven of the eight origami collectibles in my first run through the game. The trophies also only offer a few extra things to do, but I’d recommend reading the list of trophies before you play the game if you want to get the relatively easy platinum trophy.

10. Polyroll

Platforms: Switch, Steam
Regular Price: $9.99
Steam Sale Price: $2.49
Picture: Link
Trailer: Link
Sample Music Track: Marble Museum
Genre: 2D Sonic-like Platformer
Metacritic: N/A from 0 Critic Reviews, 80% from 1 User Rating
Description: While this game is definitely inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, the pace is a lot slower - no high speed loopdeloops or anything like that. You're never going at a speed where you can't anticipate the obstacles in front of you. That said, it has a similar visual design, the same kind of ball roll, and a similar level design philosophy, along with some new ideas: turning into a ball allows you to perform a ricochet wall jump, collecting 10 diamonds (the equivalent of rings) fills your hearts from 1 to 6 depending on how many you have, and the gems you collect allow you access to Three Heart Palaces that increase your number of heart containers from 3 to 6. The Heart Palaces also challenge you with a unique speedrun level before you get the heart container increase. Power-ups also have a little extra utility, in that some must be used to access certain hidden areas where gems lie. It also incorporates a smaller Super Mario World style overworld map that allows you to sometimes take different routes.
Description Continued: There are 36 levels spread across 11 worlds, with a good amount of level variety and a sizable number of bosses. There are some cool ideas with the bosses too - like hitting a boss upwards to the top of the screen on a vertical level as he constantly tries to force himself downwards. Bosses generally can be attacked at any time, in contrast to many other pure platformers that require a boss to exhaust his moves before becoming vulnerable. This comes from the same developers as Clash Force – a Mega Man inspired action platformer – Spicy Gyro Games and Shiny Dolphin Games, but Polyroll is a significant improvement over their first game.
Completion Time: ~5 Hours
Extra Content: There are 96 gems to collect – three per 32/36 of the levels. Collecting all of them would add a few hours to the game.

Special shoutout to Levelhead which is my favorite game on the list and one of my favorite level creation games ever.
Have you played any of these games? What are some other overlooked platform indie games?

2 player online co op games ps4 video

The best split screen PS4 games are a perfect choice for gaming with a friend or family member. While plenty of great PS4 games offer multiplayer components, games that offer split screen Ilove 2 player PS4 games, you can call them offline multiplayer games or couch co-op games. I simply adore every PS4 title that can be played in split-screen mode. Well, there’s online co-op for that. And there are plenty of great online co-op games on PS4. Online co-op gives you all the benefits of cooperative gaming but with the added bonus of having Online/Offline Co-Op: Online Players: 4 The co-op add-on that nobody expected to get but we were very glad we did, Legends is a separate co-op mode for Ghost of Tsushima , the smash hit open world 15 Best Split-Screen Multiplayer Games On PS4, Ranked. A Way Out is a really cool co-op split-screen game that actually requires you to play in split-screen and either with local multiplayer or online. You and the other player will take on the characters of Leo and Vincent. Your goal will be to execute a prison break. Very few puzzle games feature a polished, narrative-driven co-op campaign like this one, so for thinking minds, Portal 2 is a great experience to share. Note: The Xbox 360 version will work on Best Online Co-Op PS4 Games – Helldivers Helldivers is a twin-stick shooter that supports up to four players. Take on missions, and learn to coordinate attacks with teammates, because friendly The PS4 has plenty of 2 player games you can enjoy with a friend. Here are some of the best 2 player PS4 games you can buy right now for your system. Have a good time with some sweet co-op and The 25 Best Multiplayer PS4 Video Games to Play in 2020 Battle it out with some friends—or total strangers—online. By Cameron Sherrill and Brady Langmann Far Cry 4 makes our list of the 10 best 2 player PS4 games because hunting exotic beasts and taking down outposts in online co-op simultaneously raises the stakes and makes events more thrilling. This multiplayer mode is explicitly called “Guns for Hire” and sees you and friend free to explore the luscious island of Kyrat, defeating enemies

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Please help support the channel by donating to my Patreon in the link below https://www.patreon.com/user?u=22799325Top 10 4 Player PS4 Games: Get some mates ... Top 10 PS2 Multiplayer GamesSubscribe http://goo.gl/Q2kKrDTIMECODES BELOWWhat are the best multiplayer games for the Sony Playstation 2? What are the best sh... One of our favorite reasons we like free to play games is that many of them give us the ability to play with our friends. So we decided to make a list of th... The world just wants to tear us all apart. Whether it's politics, yanny, or a black and blue dress, life conspires to make enemies of friends. Video games ar... This generation has seen the controversial rise of "games as a service" (GaaS), "live service games"; whatever you want to call them. While there certainly a... Best ps4 Split Screen coop Racing GamesAssetto Corsa WRC 7 FIA World Rally ChampionshipWipeout Omega Collection Trackmania Turbo Gran Turismo Sport Best coop... This is a video of Nero & I testing out the PS4 2 player feature and signing in as a guest. WIN a $20 code by SUBSCRIBING! WINNER every Sunday! What are the best co-op games for PS4? We countdown our favourite co-op games for the PlayStation 4 to date, from Borderlands 3 to Overcooked 2.---For more i... A list with the best PS4 Local Co-Op Campaign Games. Best co-op campaign games on PS4. PS4 Coop campaign. Offline coop PS4.Here is the list:Borderlands: The ...

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Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game Complete Edition - Review Thread