got hit with the sudden onset jak and daxter hyperfixation that was dormant in me for at least a decade and I’ve come to the conclusion I was set up from the start to like specifically dickbag rival characters

time is a flat circle.

Top Games I’m Looking Forward To in 2021 (Part 2)

2021 is here! We can finally say good fucking riddance to 2020, and with that thought in mind, it’s time for part 2 of my list of games I’m looking forward to in well...this year. Gawd that feels good to say. Let’s get into it. Unlike the last list which was only 8 entries long, this one might be super long, and could end up as a two part-er on it’s own. For this list, or possible lists, anything that could come out in 2021 is eligible, not just games with release dates. Just like the last list though, these entries are more ranked based upon how much I want to talk about them, more than how much I want to play them, so some games that I like more, are bound to show up before games I’m less excited about. So, with that said, let’s feel the hype, as we look forward to the biggest, and also possibly underrated releases of 2021. 

Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart

I don’t know if I’ve made it clear here on Tumblr, but I am a massive Ratchet and Clank fan. I have been since the PS2 era, when the original’s demo first released. I remember I used to play that demo over and over waiting for the game to release. These days, Ratchet and Clank has become a major part of my gaming preferences, and Rift Apart looks to be one of the most interesting titles throughout all the series’ run. The idea of of traveling from one time to another, from place to place, and doing so in a way that only current gen hardware can make possible, is an exciting idea. Don’t know about about the rest of you who may stumble upon this list, but I’ve watched the demo for Rift Apart over and over, time and time again. I can only hope that the game will find a release date soon, and stick the landing as Ratchet and Clank have always done to this point. No shooter even comes close to as hype for me. 

Gran Turismo 7. 

I am not a massive racing fan, but there’s nothing quite like a good race in Gran Turismo, something that was sorely lacking on the PS4, as Sport was a weak entry in the long running franchise. Thankfully, Polyphony has seen the errors of their ways, and Gran Turismo 7, which is by far the best looking racer I’ve ever seen, is going back to the formula that made the series so great in the first place. The trailer that showed the game really did a number on fans nostalgia, but also reminded me personally, of just how relaxing and fun a Gran Turismo game is. Whenever this game comes out, be it this year or later, I will absolutely enjoy, every second I spend racing in it. 

Shin Megami Tensei III/V. 

It might seems weird to include two games into one entry, but I feel like if I don’t, I’ll rant and rave until these games release. I am a huge SMT fan, and have been for years, so to see not only a remaster of my possibly my favorite mainline game coming to Switch, as well as us finally getting a new entry after what will easily be 5 years is a dark, cursed, blessing in disguise. The SMT games are dark, and difficult affairs, but that’s exactly what makes them so memorable and interesting. Being able to experience an old classic on a modern system, and seeing the new dark turns that the series is bound is take has me more excited than pretty much anything else coming out this year. Almost. 

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.

Surprising even myself, I found that I really loved Monster Hunter Stories on the 3DS back when it released. It’s Pokemon, if Pokemon ever tried to be difficult, with abilities similar to it like flying, made more fun than Pokemon ever tried. Monster Hunter Stories is basically everything that Pokemon could be if it’s management would stop thinking like a Double A developer. Monster Hunter Stories 2, looks like it will be moving forward with that idea in mind, telling possibly a better story than the first. I know a lot of people are looking more forward to Rise, but I’ll be honest, I really think Monster Hunter is suited more for RPG’s these days, than the action combat that it originated from, but that could just be my dumb JRPG riddled brain talking. Whatever it is, Stories 2 is currently my most hyped Switch game of 2021, and I don’t even know what might be able to knock it off that perch, if anything. 

Neo: The World Ends With You. 

Maybe you’ve heard this before, maybe you haven’t, but The World Ends With You is the best game on the DS, plain and simple. Alas the Switch version didn’t quite reach that level if only because the controls were a bit too normal, but despite that, getting a sequel to this game, along with an anime release to boot, is just about the most hype thing that 2021 is doing right now. Neo The World Ends With You is also keeping that fabulous style that on it’s own should have made the original famous. The amazing music of the trailer, along with that even better looking combat, just screams potential. Indeed, very few title will be able to compete with the likes of this game, and most likely, it’s amazing cast to boot. 

Resident Evil Village. 

Like just about every entry on this list, there’s a history for me, and the game in question’s previous entries. That said, Resident Evil has always been a little spotty for me. I enjoy the recent remakes, I loved Resident Evil VII: Biohazard, but I’m not that big a fan of most of the other entries. However, when it comes to horror, the thing I’m looking for most is scares and to that end, Resident Evil Village, looks like it will bring the fire like no other. Warewolves, check, Witches, check, a setting that is naturally unsettling, check, and who knows what else is in store. No matter what is, we are looking at a horror franchise that when it really wants to go in for the scares, goes in hard, and does an amazing job at it. 

Cris Tales 

The reason this one ended up on my Part 2, despite supposedly having a release date, is because it’s supposed, it’s really hard to nail down when it’s coming out, but coming it is, and it to me, appears to be the a contender for personal indie game of 2020. If these two recent lists haven’t made it obvious before now, I am a massive RPG fan, and any game that claims it’s taking influence from old school RPG’s, and adding in their own twists, is high on my radar. Cris Tales is unique in that it has the player looking at the game through the past, present, and future all at once, and will at times have you traveling to all three times to prevent a future event, from causing harm. The idea is engaging, and the demo from last year (That’s still so fun to say, buh-bye 2020) is proof positive that we are looking at an amazing game. 

Kena: Bridge of Spirits. 

While I could probably go on, I feel like this will probably be the last game made for this list, but what a note to end on. Yet another indie game that could potentially be a Game of the Year for me, and likely many others, Kena looks to be an attempt at making some PS2 action games with a more nature themed vibe in the modern era. I really feel like with it’s amazing visuals, fantastic premise, and overall design, Kena could become the Jak and Daxter of PS5, and in fact I hope that it does. Kena: Bridge of Spirts is stunning, and absolutely should be on everyone’s radar this year. 

And that’s it, did I miss anything else? Let me know in the notes below, be sure to follow for most lists like this, and enjoy the start of 2021. It’s about time. 

What is your biggest unpopular opinion with Banjo-Kazooie or Rare in general?

Yes. And I’ll probably get backlash, but as someone who has dealt with the Sonic fandom’s wrath with unironically liking certain characters more times than I could probably keep count of, I don’t really care.

Putting this under a cut, because it came longer than I thought it would.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts > Yooka-Laylee

I mean it, too, and not because I’m trying to be OMG EDGY either.

I don’t think that Yooka-Laylee is that good of a game. It’s a not a bad or terrible game, but it is still not a good one. If anything, it honestly feels generic as far as collect-a-thon platformers go.

Yes, they did a good job capturing the vibe and feeling of the Banjo-Kazooie games. But that’s it. The game is more or less style over substance. It’s pretty bare bones with an open world platformer as you can get, as far as the deeper aspects go. I felt like they took the elements they thought made Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie good, but only doing the bare minimum with it. The worlds are huge, but they usually feel pretty empty, or the areas blend in too much with each other instead of sticking out in their own way. The constant fourth wall jokes are honestly obnoxious, to the point where I think the developers were obsessed with themselves and thought that admitting the games flaws would make them go away. And yes, Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie regularly do fourth wall jokes, but it wasn’t no where near to that level of excessive or laziness. They actually did it when it was appropriate, instead of just doing it for the sake of it or to try and brush off flaws with the product.(That’s the problem I’ve been having with Fourth Wall humor lately.) The soundtrack also sounds like they were playing it safe, too. None of the tracks really stick out to me and they all just sort of blend into each other, all of them kind of sounding the same. It sounds like they told the composers, “Make music that sounds like Banjo-Kazooie.”, with no other direction, or giving it more of an identity outside of that. And as far as the gameplay itself goes, again, it feels like they took what made Banjo-Kazooie good but only did the bare minimum of it, and anything that was new was poorly implemented.

I think Yooka-Laylee basically mimicked Banjo-Kazooie on a superficial level. I feel like the developers took the good elements from the Banjo-Kazooie games, but they forgot why ‘said elements good and engaging in the first place. This honestly feels like, “Hey, remember how Banjo-Kazooie was thing? Well here is something similar to it, but without the fun and personality!”.

While definitely not on the same level as, Mighty No.9- at the end of the day, Yooka-Laylee just feels so bland and middle of the road. It’s just riding off of the coat tails of Banjo-Kazooie, and poorly so. And yes, it is meant to be spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie. But, the point of a spiritual successor is to not only serve the same purpose as the series it’s acting as one to, but for it to also be it’s own thing and have it’s own identity, instead of relying so heavily on the nostalgia of the previous series. Yooka-Laylee fails to not only be it’s own thing, but it also fails at serving the same purpose as Banjo-Kazooie did as well. As far as I’m concerned, Yooka-Laylee is not a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie: It’s a cheap and disappointing substitute. You’re just better off going back and playing the Banjo-Kazooie games before it. It’s not good as a Banjo-Kazooie spiritual successor, and it’s not good as it’s own game. It feels uninspired and bare bones.

Fans can piss and moan, and cry and boo hoo about how oh-so “betrayed” they feel until the sun dies out. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, was actually a good game in it’s own right! Most importantly: I think it was actually fun to play! You know, that main thing you expect to have when you play a video game! I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did when I first played it. I played the shit out of Jak II when it first came out, so I was able to easily get the hang of the game’s more open world, sandbox style of gameplay fast.

The whole gimmick with the vehicle building is actually more fun than I thought it was going to be, and I thought it was mostly implemented pretty well mechanic wise. Not only is the vehicle building gimmick actually pretty fun, but it’s also easy to learn and get the hang of, even if you’re not someone who is into that sort of gameplay mechanic(like me). Granted, customizing your own vehicles is actually optional, and you can always just use the standard vehicles provided to you. But the option to make almost whatever you want is still there, and I honestly think it adds so much more options and creativity for the game. And despite the vehicle mechanics being the main focus of the game, there actually are still some platformer elements; allot of them mostly involved scouring the the hub world and other worlds for either notes or vehicle parts. But there were also a good deal of side missions to do, as well. It felt like I was actually progressing through the game, and actually being rewarded for exploring every nook and cranny.

The hub world and the other worlds were big for their time. But, they made sure to fill them up with either worthwhile discoveries, or make them look unique and make each area stick out enough from each other.(Mostly.) I think Showdown Town is such a well designed hub world, and I like the hint of steampunk to it. Also, the use of vehicles actually made traversing around the hub world and other worlds easier and less of a slog, unlike if you were to do so purely on foot even with the use of warp pads. While most of the characters in the game are returning ones from the previous two games, I like most of the new ones that were introduced(especially Trophy Thomas) and I think they fit in pretty well among the previous cast of characters. And sans Banjo, Kazooie, and Mumbo, I actually think the redesigns for the returning characters are actually pretty good.(I think Bottles and Jolly have the best ones.)

While most of Nuts & Bolts’ soundtrack consisted of remixes or variations of older themes, the new tracks the game does introduce are genuinely good and unique, and they sound like they can belong alongside the older themes from the past games.

And you know what? I’d even go as far to say that, Nuts & Bolts, is even good as a Banjo-Kazooie game, even if from a meta and writing standpoint. Despite it being years since Tooie, and the game not being a traditional platformer, it still felt like I was seeing the same characters and their smart-ass selves, and the same witty writing from the last two games.

And yeah. Nuts & Bolts, does have flaws. The physics of the vehicles can be a little wonky at times, and the controls take time getting used to. The game can get repetitive at times, especially as far as the types of challenges normally offered throughout it. Some of the fourth wall jokes do become a little too much at times. And I honestly wish the game was a little longer than what it was. But these flaws are not enough to ruin the game for me. It’s still a competently made game, and a fun one at that. It’s still obvious that there was effort put into this game. And to be honest, I think this was Rare’s last good game.

It gets to me how perfectly good gameplay, concepts, characters, and designs, are immediately shit on or written off, just because bitter fans still can’t get the fuck over themselves and their poor wittle “betrayed” fee fees, simply because it turned out to not have the gameplay or mechanics they wanted or waited for. Then these same piss babies turn around and blindly eat up uninspired, coat tail riding games like Yooka-Laylee, just because, “Oh mah god! It plays like a platformer like the first two games. Mah nostaglia boner is so hard! And don’t you criticize it at all! It’s supposed to have all the flaws like an N64 game, dude!” Yeah, no. That shitty fucking, “But it’s supposed to bad!”, rebuttal is no excuse. We have learned allot since Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie, in terms of game design and shit. There is no excuse! You can still make an open world platformer and not make it boring or bland! Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie has, for most the part, aged pretty well, and I still enjoy them gameplay, atmosphere, and character wise, in spite of the aspects of it that haven’t aged well. That shit, “It’s supposed to be bad!”, excuse does not work for me! Neither does any rose tinted nostalgia vision. I do not like it when companies are obviously trying to manipulate with me nostalgia, in order to push their inferior product!

Also, even if this has nothing really to with Yooka-Laylee as a game itself. But, after seeing how some of the game’s staff treated their backers wanting a refund for them removing JonTron’s voice acting the game: Fuck them! Whether you like JonTron or not, or agree or disagree with the stupid he’s said, the way they basically mocked and talked shit about their backers on their Twitter, after they asked for a refund because they removed an aspect from the game that they paid for, was fucking disgusting! I loose all respect for a person the moment they treat their fans and supporters like shit! As someone who didn’t even back the game’s KickStarter- Fuck them! They can go fall off a fucking cliff for all I care! I’m glad their game ended up being a mediocre fuck heap, after that!

I wanted Yooka-Laylee to be a good game and revive the open world platformer. I did. But it’s not a good game. It’s just mediocre, and it doesn’t really stick out from the crowd, as far I see it. It just poorly relies on what made Banjo-Kazooie and Tooie fun and enjoyable in the first place. And I do not care if I get backlash for any of the things I just said above. Again, I’ve dealt with the Sonic fandom’s shit before.

The Sega Dreamcast and the Sonic Adventure series

Now feel like making this and no tags well I'm wanting to be sure. But last night just was kind of interesting including went to bed early by mistake but woke up at 2:30 am maybe and was on the laptop for a bit yet tried to change the plug thing for the PlayStation 1 for the Sega Dreamcast. For anyone who wants to know also head be nice but the Sega Dreamcast was Sega's last video game console and the first of the 6th generation of video game consoles. It it almost put loved but it love again just it lived a short life yet it has its fan base including me. I'm gonna be honest I use to like sonic a lot when I was younger yet as I grew older I started to dislike the series more. Including naming sonic the blue bastard hedgehog. But also it's fan base I mean like the stuff and reboot's happening with the comics and what people want and sonic not having an identity for the series. It's a long story and I'm a guy who doesn't wanna be part of it. Yet as I grew older I learned to understand what people liked about certain parts such as the Archie Comics series and other things. Such as giving sonic more story and I'm not caring of putting a shift this thing for sonic but will try it anyway. Including just I learned to like some stuff a bit more. Along with that it was also the cause well the now distaste for the series of how it is. Including I'm terrified for having a opinion in this fandom yet luckily I have a friend who's a Sonic fan there got that who I can talk to. I'll say this I for some reason praise that Sonic OVA thing that was released in 1996 and I'm okay with Sonic X their are some things I liked about it. Yet it seems like okay I'll mention this I think some one on DeviantArt a person I never talked to they blocked me and maybe cause I have some weird thoughts some opinions of my own. Also they were one of the many people who liked the Archie Comics and even talked about how much they hated the first Sonic Adventure. Including some other games and.....also they liked Sly Cooper, Jak And Daxter, and, Ratchet And Clank and how those were better and just saying I agree. But the should I say mother fucker well just did lol the guy blocked me yet I think I never spoke to him. Yet hey remember reading one of their posts luckily some one also thinks of that upcoming Sonic movie all I think of is those Transformers love action movies. Sorry just really I think my interest got back to Sonic when my friend got me more into Game Grumps and I love their play through's of some Sonic games they've played. Also I'm gonna say I'm mainly like Arin Hanson when it's with Sonic and his games. Or mainly just what the series can do better. Even if Sonic Adventure was released in Japan first in 1998 and Sonic Adventure 2 was released in 2001 and Japan first I think also they did that a lot in the past for some Sonic games. I like some games including some of them stand out to be even some stand alone games. Yet I seem to like the Adventure series quite more. Because and I think many people as well think also that their was some good stuff with their games they weren't perfect but their were things I liked about them. If they were written better and remade during these days I might love them a lot more. Okay now about the games I deleted all of my data for them even if I never finished any of them I just wanted to anyway to get some what of a new experience. Also my Dreamcast if i don't play it a lot I have to adjust the time and date again. Yet for Sonic Adventure 1 it felt nice. Mainly played Sonic and during that honestly I seriously question if I should be recorded me talking about I want something cohesive such as the characters ages I'm just bothered by how some of the characters are stuck being their ages so one time on one day I thought to myself okay new paragraph. I thought should if the ages in their first game they appear in what year would they be born in and later on. Including I was using real years such as placing each Sonic Adventure game during the years they were released in. It's kind of funny and I sent this message to my friend on Tumblr when I was at Pizza Hut. Mainly it was for characters in the Dreamcast era such as the Sonic Adventure series, Sonic Advance but mainly the sequel cause of Cream and Cheese, and Sonic Heroes. What I discovered of Sonic's default age is 15 and he first appeared in 1991 now counting that arcade game where he's a keychain but his actual first living main game appearance as a actual character. He would of been in born in 1976 and as of now he would of turned 40 last year. You can laugh at that if you want and think of the games. For some reason keep thinking of the Resident Evil games where they have ages set for characters and I like that. So I thought of that for the Sonic series. Sorry but yeah their was that where I was randomly talking about what years characters would of been born in and saying Sonic is dead and just messing around and honestly the game plays well and for being released in 1998 original and released in 1999 to North America it's pretty good in a way, including me making stupid dark jokes like at the casino if it was a regular human. Mainly after I fought Knuckle's meh spoilers or whatever I decided to lay in bed and I fell asleep and woke up at 10 something. That time oh wait before I slept watched some The Loud House first and the I dozed off at 5 something I think or whatever. Then after taking a shower maybe was on my laptop and well forgot but I played a bit more and playing Sonic till I met Amy and played Tails but stopped at the first boss fight for him. Honestly the one game I seemed to think of the most was Sonic Adventure 2 and even it's GameCube version and HD version which long ago bought on my original PS3. Maybe it's cause it has some stuff I liked more and I just played it on Dreamcast. Honestly I think its a improvement and I enjoy it more then the original Sonic Adventure game. Stopped playing the Hero story when I got into the military base stage as Sonic, and for Dark story stopped when I got into the stage, "Sand Ocean". Including just well Loud House is also on at 8. Had to change ad to as and almost put ad again just before Sonic and just typos man. Even for the word put and again for put. I'm typing this on my phone. But theirs this guy on YouTube called Somecallmejohnny he's a video game reviewer and he's reviewed Sonic games and he's a Sonic fan and I like them. Including was watching some of him today. Some of them are long yet if you manage to make it through some of them I think just I'm being silly he's great and funny man. His reviews are maybe kind of how I see these games maybe. In fact will say this when playing the original Sonic Adventure I gonna stop pressing the same speech thing when I'm with a person and it reminds me when I kept grabbing a rocket launcher and switching my assault rifle a lot in Killzone 2 and I legit said to myself during that game this is why I'm autistic supposedly insulting myself and this happened with Sonic Adventure. Also another funny thing when in that jewelry store or whatever in Sonic Adventure just funny taking off that stone off and on. Sorry yet just.....honestly these Sonic games are ones I like. I think that Sony Sonic movie is what got me thinking again and hey wanna say Knuckles is a lol meme lol my body was moving just those reblogs about him saying and then just quiet laughing just the whole I lived thing and I say I lived mother fucker. But again sorry and you know.....I have ideas for Sonic but I'm kind of nervous and just.....honestly a almost left rabbit lol but a reboot of the Sonic series would be nice please. In fact just...kind of sad of how the series of what it's become. Along with that other Sega games are marketed or as made as much as Sonic. Yet with that news from years ago that cause of Rise Of Lyric and just the Game Grumps series of that shows what's so wrong with that game I've heard they wanna do better. I do have ideas yet they seem kind of fan fiction lol and along with the stories being more teen rated. Also it could be cause that Sony Sonic movie is in my head. Along with the Adventure games and some others. Which was why some hours ago listened to some music and thought about Sonic such as Linkin Park and others. Maybe I'll make them here just I need to think and just also I made this a bit better. But also wanna ask who wants the Game Grumps play Sonic Adventure 2 and see how that goes post just yeah I wanna see that and just what Arin lol Aron's but Arin's and Danny's reaction would be to that game. Also typos but seriously I want that to happen lol I want them to play ether version maybe the GameCube version they would go with lol if someone sends them something just I'll post them. But yeah I want that damn miss post lol....I wanna see that Game Grumps series