The ones that got away - January 2024

Back when I used to run TheNerdRock, one new game per month was chosen for the big review while everything else went into the collection of Mini Monthly reviews. This included games that I had played but given up on. As part of the fresh start on CraigPlaysGames, I decided that every game got a proper review, except for the ones I gave up on since it was harder to motivate myself to talk about things I didn’t enjoy. My new compromise is this series, where once a month I talk a little bit about the games I played but ultimately didn’t vibe with.

First up was Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate which did get it’s own article thanks to the little series I did - Bat Bastards - That will be one of the few times I review a game I didn’t finish properly.

The first real drop of the month was Howl. I kind of just bought the game on a whim since it was on a list of available PS Store pre-orders and it looked interesting enough and only cost £12. Set in a world dominated by a plague of beasts that infect those that hear the howls, you play as a deaf priestess on her way to save the day. Gameplay is a strategy layout with each level being a puzzle to solve. I got to the end of world 2 of 4 (I think) and the game just got a little too repetitive for me to want to continue.

Another Code: Recollection was the latest of Nintendo’s from left wing announcements and unfortunately the next to be given up on.. A remake of two DS and Wii visual novel puzzle games, the concepts were intriguing but everything felt so slow - dialogue is basic and repetitive, music loops too quickly, the camera is too close to the player and puzzles need interacted with before started. In the end, I just couldn’t be bothered with it.

I wouldn’t say this one is fully in the scrap pile, but it’s not looking good. Snipperclips was a Nintendo Switch launch game that I never really got around to. I figured a lovely birthday trip to York with my partner, MissGamerNerd, would be the perfect chance to play. After about three hours, we enjoyed the concept and design but the solutions to puzzles ended up being a bit too finnicky in some places whereas other levels just didn’t need us to engage with the centre mechanic. In the end we had our fill, playing about 33 of 90 levels.

While I did fully beat and enjoyed the game, my review for Super Mario RPG just kind of fell to the wayside and I don’t really have the time coming up to get around to it again which is a shame but what can you do.

If this series does not return next month or the next, it’s because there was no games I gave up on.