Geek Babble– A 2022 Livestream Recap

I hate to admit it, but the last few years have worn down my interest in New Year’s resolutions. This is the first year I’ve not made any resolutions and I’m okay with this fact. As for gaming, I actually don’t have a lot of 2023 games I’m looking forward to, since much of what I looked forward to last year was delayed. If I’m being honest, I am looking forward to Fire Emblem Engage, the Switch port of Persona 3: Portable, Sea of Stars, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion remains in the unfinished business pile from 2022– though at least one of you has insisted I stream this one. It remains in the “I’ll think about it” category. So instead of longing for 2023 games I’m not going to get around to in a timely manner, I’ve decided to reflect on everything I’ve livestreamed in 2022.

Streaming has been a great way to chip at my backlog and get more gaming done in general. I realize that once I’m done streaming a game, I usually don’t mention it again. This time around, I do want to provide you all with my written thoughts.

 

1. Heavy Rain | Developer: Quantic Dream | Platform Streamed On: PS4 | Original Game Release Date: 2010

I actually began Heavy Rain in 2021 as my choice to stream on Thanksgiving. However, I could not finish the game before my month-long break in December. Little did I know, I wouldn’t have much left of the game left to stream when I returned. Heavy Rain is a game I never thought I’d play. I was content with watching others tear the game to pieces in their own Let’s Plays. However, my livestream of Detroit: Become Human was popular enough to garner interest in other David Cage directed games.

Heavy Rain is a game that’s better experienced by playing it rather than watching others do the dirty work. Nevertheless, I found it to be a less than stellar game. Perhaps I would have been wowed if I had played it on the PlayStation 3 a decade prior or if it was my first Quantic Dream title. The story was interesting, but executed poorly. It’s as if the story and plot fell out of a window, and hit every tired trope tree branch on the way down.

The characters had to behave in unbelievably idiotic ways to make the plot work. The suspension of disbelief was just too much to bear. Jason should have never died considering Ethan took the brunt of the blow from a slow-moving car strike when shielding Jason. Madison should have never gotten romantically involved with a grieving father, the reveal of Scott’s true motives could have been better, and Norman was a terrible investigator. Worse yet, this game committed the grievous sin of being set in Philadelphia, but not stating it was set in Philadelphia.

 

2. Final Fantasy IV | Developer: Squaresoft | Platform Streamed On: PS TV | Original Game Release Date: 1991

Final Fantasy IV is a game I’d been meaning to play since its DS remake released in 2008. I bought the remake, but never got around to playing it. My redemption would come via Drew requesting that I play this one on stream. I realized I had no easy way of playing the 3DS version without using an emulator. So I opted to buy the PSP remake of the game digitally and downloaded it to my PlayStation TV. (We purchased all of this streaming and video capture equipment, you better believe we’re going to use it.)

I largely enjoyed Final Fantasy IV, and the PSP version was an excellent port. That said, I wish I had played this game before Final Fantasy VI, as it’s difficult to go back to the SNES Final Fantasy games after experiencing one of the best titles in the series. I can see how FFIV became a standard for many of the tropes that are now present in JRPGs. Namely, the power of prayer and friendship. I can also see where many standards in this series were set, thanks to this game. What I didn’t like was how some characters (looking at you, Cecil) were forced to be idiots for the sake of the plot. Being surprised that Kain would betray the party three times, and then wanting to leave two of the best party members behind for the final battle? What the hell, Cecil?

I also didn’t like the game’s solution for freeing up space in the party by killing off party members for real or for the sake of a fake-out. Seriously, Yang and Cid decided to sacrifice themselves in the space of 20 minutes. It felt like the writers were inspired by the deaths in Final Fantasy II and wanted to see if they could raise that count. It doesn’t work as well here. On the upside, Golbez was an excellent antagonist and the reveal of the Lunarians was nice. Despite my issues with some of the plot, the gameplay remained enjoyable. I still can’t believe I somehow managed to skip certain boss phases just by being overpowered. Being given the choice to choose the final party in the PSP might have made my party stronger than it should have been. I’ll take being accidentally overpowered because Edge sucks. I do plan to replay the game on DS someday.

 

3. Faxanadu | Developer: Hudson Soft | Platform Streamed On: NES | Original Game Release Date: 1987

Faxanadu was a game suggested by a viewer. There was no preference given on if Drew or I should play the game. Since Drew took one for the team by streaming Adventure Island II, I figured I could at least play Faxanadu.

I had no idea what to expect going into Faxanadu. I had to research the Xanadu titles and was glad to discover I didn’t need prior knowledge of them. However, I did require a guide to help me get started on the game, as my own offline tests were disastrous. I didn’t know how to get out of the first area. I also discovered I needed an NES controller, as my SNES controller didn’t work with the game at all, and using a Sega Genesis controller wouldn’t cut it. The controller provided with the Retron 5 was also awful. Proper controller in hand, I practiced a bit before the actual livestream.

The game itself was quite amazing for something developed in 1987. I was impressed with the graphics and the music. The plot was simple, but engaging. A meteor lands in the World Tree and turns the dwarves berserk. The player is an elf that has to get to the top of the tree to figure out what’s really going on. The magic and leveling systems were manageable with grinding, and I did need an occasional guide to figure out where to go next. The combat and platforming were pretty tight and enjoyable once I discovered a good rhythm to my button presses. I thought I’d have a long slog with the final dungeon, but a few of you passed on helpful tips for skipping most of the dungeon in the Twitch chat.

I’m also fortunate that I made the decision to play on a Retron as save states and having the system automatically save my place after turning off the console came in handy. I used the password system once, and was unable to correctly enter said password despite taking a picture of it with my phone. That was my only gripe with the game. I’m glad I decided to play Faxanadu because I had a surprisingly good time.

 

4. The Lion King | Developer: Westwood Studios, Disney Software | Platform Streamed On: Sega Genesis| Original Game Release Date: 1994

I needed a game to stream on Easter and figured The Lion King would be a good one-off. After all, I’d finally gotten my hands on the Analogue Mega SG I’d been wanting for a while. TLK seemed like a great game to test it on. Plus, it was a good challenge to see how much muscle memory I had retained from playing the game as a pre-teen.

When it came time to stream, I booted up the very cartridge I’d had in my possession since 1994. Much of the game came back to me quite easily, especially the “I can’t wait to be king” stage. It’s not that I’m adept at gaming, but I struggled so much with the stage as a child that it had all been burned into my memory. I remembered the stage hazards and the exact timing for the jumps. The adult Simba stages were a bit more difficult to remember, but it eventually came back to me. My only hangup came during the final battle with Scar. I could not remember when to throw him and again, the Twitch chat came to the rescue with a tip from a guide.

The Lion King is decent, especially for a Disney platformer adapted from a movie. Still, it has some issues that plague these games. Characters don’t always latch on to surfaces when they should and hit detection can be spotty. Still, this game is one of the better 16-bit Disney titles. I can only speak for the Genesis version, as I have not played the SNES versions. I do have the game on The Disney Classic Games collection, but I found it to be slightly harder than when playing on the Genesis. If you have this collection, I’d recommend The Lion King over Aladdin.

 

5. Final Fantasy VIII | Developer: SquareSoft | Platform Streamed On: PS4| Original Game Release Date: 1999

Final Fantasy VIII a game that a good friend of mine suggested I streamed. To be honest, this Final Fantasy has been on my “I need to play” list for years. I’ve discovered people either love or hate this game. I had no idea where I would fall, so I needed to play for myself. Plus, it fell under the 50-hour maximum mark I set for games I would stream. Though I did end up playing from April to September, even with streaming sessions as long as five hours at times.

As for my thoughts on Final Fantasy VIII, I fall firmly into the “disliked it immensely” camp. If I had not been streaming, and had not gotten ample help and advice from friends, I probably would have quit this game before ever seeing the ending. Other than some parts of the plot being a bit confusing at times, I had no problems with the story. Even the confusing parts were mostly cleared up by the game’s end, though it was possible to not be paying close enough attention and miss some relationship details between characters. As for the characters, I didn’t have too many issues with them either and kept in mind they were still teenagers. Squall was a bit too edgy at times, but his attitude made sense given his overall story. I can easily say Zell and Quistis were my least favorite characters, while Selphie, Irvine, and Rinoa were a lot of fun.

My beef with Final Fantasy VIII squarely lies with its Draw & Junction system. I’ve outlined my dislike in not one, but two Quarantine Control columns. I think if the system were more intuitive and the game less cryptic overall, I would have enjoyed the gameplay. Again, its magic system has all the trappings of a traditional turn-based RPG, but the game punishes you for playing it traditionally. Having the option to cast magic is insane in a system where that magic is better off used as armor and stat boosts.

I don’t regret livestreaming this game, but I’m glad I’ll never have to play it again.

 

6. Death and Taxes | Developer: Placeholder Gameworks| Platform Streamed On: PC | Original Game Release Date: 2020

A friend rightfully noted in our Discord that I should probably balance out the JRPGs I’ve been playing with a short game. He then recommended Death and Taxes. Other than writing a little about the game for my streaming announcements, I went into it pretty blind.

This game turned out to be perfect for livestreaming, as Placeholder Gameworks had a simple system that allowed the Twitch chat to literally weigh in on my decisions. Those decisions turned out to be which humans lived or died, as I played the role of a grim reaper. The overall story was interesting, but I had the most fun listening to the Twitch chat’s rationale on who should live or die and why. The repercussions for letting certain individuals live were fascinating to watch unfold, as well as the ironic deaths some humans suffered. I’m actually surprised we achieved a fairly peaceful ending, as I usually see more chaotic endings whenever I let Twitch dictate my actions. The game itself is pretty short, but my reading every line of dialog and waiting for voting increased the time it would have taken to beat Death and Taxes.

If you game at all on a PC, I actually recommend this game. It’s short and a lot of fun.

 

7. Gargoyles | Developer: Disney Software | Platform Streamed On: Sega Genesis | Original Game Release Date: 1995

Gargoyles is another game I played as a pre-teen, as I was a big fan of the TV show. The TV show remains fantastic to this day. Sadly, I can’t say the same about the game as it was a frustrating title to slog through. I felt like Gargoyles would be a perfect game to stream on Halloween. I remember beating it as a kid, and felt I could have the same success I had with The Lion King.

On Halloween evening, I struggled pretty hard. I wouldn’t place the blame solely on my lack of skills, but some major oversights from the developers. First, hit and input detection is terrible in Gargoyles. Sometimes you press a button and it never registers with the game. That move you tried to execute on an enemy? Didn’t happen. Trying to grab a tricky platform or handhold? Goliath’s hands might as well be covered in grease. If those issues weren’t bad enough, the game lacks invincibility frames after taking a hit. Worse, Goliath also gets sent tumbling backwards. If you’re fighting on a tight platform there’s a good chance you’re going over the edge, and if the game decides not to register your inputs, you’ll also be experiencing a very cheap death instead of grabbing a ledge.

This happened so many times that Drew provided me with invincibility and level skip cheat codes. Even with invincibility enabled, getting through the platforming sections of the game was still tedious. I also learned that I hadn’t finished the game as a child, but I’d given up on the penultimate level– most likely in frustration. I gave the final boss an honest attempt without the cheat codes, but the second half of the fight was way too difficult thanks to how taking hits works. I ended up using the cheat codes in order to finish this taxing game.

Replaying Gargoyles was an interesting, but painful walk down memory lane.

 

8. SteamWorld Dig | Developer: Image & Form | Platform Streamed On: PS4 | Original Game Release Date: 2013

SteamWorld Dig was another suggestion made to me on our Discord. Add to the fact that it had glowing reviews and the PS4 version was on sale, playing this game was a no-brainer.

I’d known about SteamWorld Dig since it was released on 3DS in 2013. It was a game that I’d never got around to trying. I’m kicking myself because the game was fun and relaxing to play. You dig up valuable metals and jewels, return to the surface, sell them, use that money to buy upgrades, and repeat. The entire process is easy to understand and mildly addictive.

The difficultly didn’t ramp up until near the end of the game, but I was more than up to the challenge. The story was a nice, simple affair with some greater world-building undertones. Humanity has destroyed itself and steam-powered robots now run the world. Rusty is a mining bot whose uncle has summoned him to the town of Tumbleton. There he learns Joe has died, but found something interesting deep beneath the earth and vows to uncover what his uncle discovered.

SteamWorld Dig ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m looking forward to playing and streaming part two later this year.

 

9. Secret of Evermore | Developer: Squaresoft USA | Platform Streamed On: SNES | Original Game Release Date: 1995

Secret of Evermore is a game I played as a teenager. I enjoyed the game and had fond memories of it. In recent years, I had been thinking more and more about the game, especially as it never received ports to newer systems. On a whim I bought a copy online and decided I had to stream it for myself in 2022. It would be the last game of the year I played.

It turned out my nostalgia for the game was as wonderful as I remembered. The story was fitting for a game made in the 1990s. I enjoyed the homages to terrible B-movies, other Squaresoft RPGs, and the overall Saturday morning cartoon feel the game had. The sprite work was fantastic, and I loved the character animations. Having the dog as the only other party member was still a fun experience, and I love all the various forms he took– especially the poodle. Though, he tends to be extremely overpowered by the end of the game.

Sure, Secret of Evermore has flaws. The item detection system doesn’t work at times, hit detection can be a pain, and there are way too many difficult to navigate dungeons. I honestly shaved a few hours off my playtime thanks online maps. This game is still a short, fun little RPG despite its flaws. It’s a shame that Square Enix will never do a follow-up or even acknowledge this game exists.

 

Shin Megami Tensei V and Fire Emblem: Three Houses make up the two games I played and finished off stream. So again, most of my gaming productivity comes from livestreaming.

Here’s to a fun 2023!