43 Games I Haven't Reviewed Yet

For years, I've been doing mini-reviews of my video games. I started with the "100 Games" project in January 2013, and since then have done a roundup of everything I beat each year. But that means that some games got left out - ones I didn't include on my initial list.

Not getting on the original 100 Games list doesn't mean these games are bad. On the contrary, I rather enjoyed quite a few of them, and some of them probably deserved to make the list. I never claimed to be good at ranking stuff, as fun as it is.

As usual, only games I cared about enough to see to the end get listed here, and everything I haven't already written about is up for grabs. Sifting through my Backloggery turned up 43 entries' worth of games (a few games are combined into one entry). Instead of trying to rank them, I'll cover them alphabetically.

I've also linked a gameplay video for each game. It's a longplay whenever one is available. Looking at how few games DIDN'T have a complete longplay up on YouTube speaks volumes as to how good longplayers are at doing their job.

Grabbing and Going

It was the end of March. New York City, being in a northern part of the United States, was coming out of winter at around this time. But that was long ago for the King of Beasts. Now, they were headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and winter had never had much of a grip here. The heat of the Nevada desert city was what Mary Bishop knew - well, as much as a pasty, bespectacled, air-conditioned inaction girl like herself could know.

"Huh. Gonna hit 88 degrees on Tuesday." she said quietly, looking at the screen behind her counter. This was Mary's "data center" - a bulky computer and security system that looked to have fallen out of 2002 or so, but was sophisticated enough to manage all of Grab-N-Go's needs. She could pull up a homepage that aggregated local news and weather, or browse footage from the three security cameras in the store - one pointed at the register, another in the back of the store by the alcoholic drinks, and a third manning the storeroom. She'd often browse the Internet during slow periods. There were very few slow days at Grab-N-Go, but no shortage of slow periods.

Of course, a slow period had to end sometime.

The man strolled in, looking nervously around. He had a ski mask covering his features, and you'd only wear a ski mask in the heat of Vegas for one reason. Mary looked him over as he hesitated again. The nervousness, the pauses, and he was shaking. Whoever this guy was, he was new at this. She calmly extended one hand under her counter, flipping a switch, and continued to watch the masked man.

Finally, he came to a decision upon realizing the store was empty aside from Mary and himself, and he did what Mary knew he would do and pulled out a weapon. A standard-issue pistol. Nothing crazy, but more than enough to kill Mary easily. He brandished the gun, forcing out the words "Th-this is a holdup! Open the cash register!"

Mary complied.

"C-count it out!" he sputtered, waving around the gun. Mary rolled her eyes internally - the lack of experience with a gun was blatantly clear. Absolutely a first-timer, for sure. She counted out the money, totaling to five hundred and sixty-seven dollars and 48 cents, and slid it across the counter. He snatched it up sloppily, coins scattering in his grip, and he turned and ran out of the store. Mary closed the register and opened a new window on her PC. She noted the message that popped up and began to type.

-All clear?
-All clear. Took the bait.
-Description?
-White male, about six feet. Wore a ski mask, had a pistol, was extremely nervous. No gun training.
-We got him on radar. Thank you.

The police nabbed the robber less than five minutes later. The tracking chip embedded in one of the bills was barely needed, but it was good insurance against smarter criminals. And, of course, all of the money save the change was counterfeit.

Mary knelt down, double-checking the real cash register that was placed directly below the decoy one. Several thousand in assorted bills, all accounted for as usual.

-Mary? We got him.
-Great. Can you get my play money back to me when you get a chance?
-Of course. Thanks again.
-No, thank you.

Grab-N-Go didn't get robbed very often.

There were reasons for that.

The American Dream...?

-UNKNOWN LOCATION - SOMEWHERE IN WESTERN USA-

"My fellow Americans... Together, we have witnessed the decay of our home country. We have seen our once-mighty lands become weak, dependent, and limp. We rely on China for cheap goods... we import oil from the Middle East... and the two dominating political parties will find any excuse to butt heads.

But worst of all, is our increasing dependence on the King Of Beasts."

The man on stage began to pace.

"A ragtag band of monsters, superheroes, magicians, and storybook knights. They have done the impossible, conquered the unconquerable, and are in control of vast sums of money. Some civilians fear them, others worship them. Sound familiar?"

He looked out at the assembled audience. "That used to be us. That was US, dammit. The good ol' U.S. of A! Our President, he tries his best - I envy that robotic suit - but it's not enough to coexist with them. Not when they're stealing the glory of America. No, we need to outdo them. We need to prove our superiority. We need to... well, to borrow a phrase, we need to Make America Great Again.

And that is why, gentlemen, I have decided to run for President."

"Under what party, sir?" a man in the crowd asked.

"Neither of them. The Democrats are too weak-willed, and the Republicans tie themselves in knots arguing with each other. I am in Independent. And before you start with the old saw of third parties being failures, I have a plan. One that will make Ross Perot look like Ralph Nader."

"Well, what is it? Tell us!" another man said eagerly.

"Hah... not yet. This is absolutely critical information, and must be kept classified at all costs. Suffice it to say I've spent the better part of a decade getting ready, and that my terms as a senator aren't for nothing.

There's something out there, gentlemen. Something the King Of Beasts has no idea exists. Something that has the power to blow away anyone who opposes our great nation... without the lingering damage of a nuclear weapon. It will take an expert to find what we need, but fortunately for us, that's exactly what I have in store.

A new age is dawning, one with me at the helm. Me: Nevada Senator, Trent Johnson. Under my rule, we will no longer rely on any other country for anything! We will ascend back to our rightful place as the greatest country in the world!"

Senator Johnson raised his fist.

"My America... will be the most unstoppable America of all time!"

Chatzy Madness Volume 244: This Book Will Steam Your Dumplings

Jumpropeman: I'm an unfortunate creature who will let good things pass him by if I cannot consume them on my own terms
Jumpropeman: *changed between first, second, and third person like four times in that sentence*
FV: It's true. I once when we were much the younger squalls saw him turn away chocolate pizza at a Mr Gatti's because he couldn't watch Spongebob on the screen at the same time as getting food.
Jumpropeman: that cannot be true
Jumpropeman: as there is no such thing as a Spongebob
FV: Liar. -pat- There was no 'you' person perspective. =v Can't have been second. There was first and third, certainly.
Jumpropeman: doest thou meaneth the 'Bob?
FV: Your apologies, your grace. The 'Bob was meant.
Jumpropeman: (plus I don't like Chocolate pizza so maybe I simply was fishing for an excuse to refuse it :V)
FV: Tis a possible thing certainly. =v

---

PlanetaryChao: remember 2013, when premium was this mysterious thing that we'd never have
PlanetaryChao: and then daniel bryan opened the floodgates
Draco: YES YES YES YES
Cornwind Evil: And then his head exploded and he retired
Cornwind Evil: ....now I'm sad.

---

Cornwind Evil: Sine has made a new short film
Tyrion Lannister: cant watch vidjas at work
Tyrion Lannister: but i can watch you do a sprightly jig if you're willing

---

Tyrion Lannister: just went into a restroom and finished my business before I noticed the yellow sign on the floor was not a Wet Floor but a Bathroom Closed sign
Cornwind Evil: Oops
J Jonah Delson: Whoops
Tyrion Lannister: thankfully though, no Poops
J Jonah Delson: Hahaha

---

PlanetaryChao: did anyone see in review mode the one bit i remembered from my dream
Gooper Blooper: could you repost it, I glanced through review mode and there was a lot to sift through
PlanetaryChao: just get gud at reading like me :I
Gooper Blooper: I can't, chao-senpai :<
PlanetaryChao: goops it's like you don't want me to notice you :I
PlanetaryChao: i had a dream of which all i can remember is the title of a short story
PlanetaryChao: which was "The Bog in the Meadow-lands"
PlanetaryChao: what made it stand out was the way meadowlands was spelled
Gooper Blooper: Immediately upon seeing that
Gooper Blooper: I thought "that is 100% sheep"
Gooper Blooper: Sheep would write something called The Bog in the Meadow-lands, dash and all
Juju Gent: I believe I asked if the King in Yellow would have jurisdiction in The Bog in the Meadow-lands. =u And then I remembered that the reference might not actually be gotten.

(later, upon being shown this sequence)

Mouldering Sheep: I resemble that remark

Character Musings: Sonder at the Cheap Shop

I first designed Mary Bishop in 2014. I wanted another OC after creating Silence, and Mary was the next at-bat after the character I called "Violet" had turned into Viola and ceased being a full OC. Similar to Silence, the concept was for a "normal" human character without any superpowers. Unlike Silence, however, Mary was designed to be a non-action character primarily used for dialogue.

I've talked a bit before about how urban setting fascinate me, and how a city lit up at night is one of the most gorgeous settings I can imagine, which is a major reason behind why I suggested Las Vegas as an RP setting - this city is famous worldwide for its' presentation and lights, and it seemed to be one of the few cities that even the real-life version of is crazy enough for the kobbers to call home. Now, obviously a big part of that glitz is the big stuff - casinos, novelty hotels, carnivals, concerts, and so on. But there's more to a city than that.

If you're not familiar with "sonder", allow me to introduce you. The term, as you can see above, has deep implications for a big city. All those individual people living their own lives in the same place, but experiencing completely different perspectives. The term was coined as a negative one that induces sadness, but I personally find it beautiful and inspiring. Mary was birthed from my own sonder daydreams of life in the city as I romanticize it. She is a mere convenience store cashier. She sees hundreds of people each day, and is a tiny part of their lives, and they a tiny part of hers. She is a small but important piece of machinery in the colossus that is Vegas.

I imagined walking down the streets of Las Vegas on a summer's night, a neon sign leading you to Grab-N-Go, Mary's store. It's a small shop, but it's packed to the rafters with all kinds of odds and ends. The stock is designed to appeal to people who suddenly find themselves in need of some small something-or-other. A snack. A small tool. Batteries. The daily paper. And so on. And then there's Mary - small yet cool as a cucumber, not necessarily friendly but not rude or intimidating. You'd feel safe around her, even if she wouldn't easily be a close pal. Then you Grab your item of choice, pay, and Go, back into the neon world outside, leaving Mary to her little shop.

I know this is probably hard to get across, and it could well sound stupid, but I really feel like magic can be made out of little everyday things like that if they're given the proper atmosphere. I've always heavily touted "atmosphere" as being something I treasure - it's what sucks me into a video game or a story. When it happens during RP (usually when someone posts a really good blog post or a satisfying forum post with lots of text), I get excited. RP is at its' best when I can read it slowly, imagining it playing out in my head. This feeling more than any other (except perhaps the adrenaline rush of reading an intense Fite) is what I cherish about roleplaying the most (not counting the friendships I've made, naturally - I mean in terms of the actual RP itself).

So, uh, Mary! Aside from my own daydreaming, Mary was meant to be a down-to-earth ordinary non-Kobber-type whose main draws were her deadpan-ness and her normal-ness. No matter what ridiculous situation you gave to Mary, the most you'd get in response would likely be a raised eyebrow. Of course, this meant I could use "Mary actually emotes to something" as a way to add impact to special moments.

Speaking of special moments, how about that family tree reveal? (Several people LOVED it and that made me very happy.) Mary was originally not related to Silence at all, but I thought of the idea early in Season 5 and eagerly canonized it, especially since it gave me a surprise reveal I could do. While they had similar-colored hair, Mary and Silence were otherwise very, very different - this was ideal. It kept the reveal plausible without giving it away blatantly, so when I started teasing hints that there was a connection between the two of them, people noticed - but weren't sure exactly what the connection was. It was a great way to add depth to both characters.

Later in the year, Mary began going on plots once I figured out a way she could meaningfully contribute - as a stats buffer! Mary took her selling on the road with a backpack and pop-up stand, selling tractor-boosting items. In Season 6, I plan to expand her product range a bit to include non-food items that could be of use in certain plot segments - she could navigate a dark place with a flashlight, mess with a machine using a screwdriver, distract a dumb guard with thrown patchisaurs - there's plenty of options!

Silly aside - I associate Mary with the Scott Pilgrim video game. That game is full of tiny little convenience stores you can buy stuff from, and the music track used there does a fantastic job of conveying the feelings of enjoyably browsing a store like Mary's, so I naturally made it her character theme. Additionally, her simple, short design looks vaguely like the SP sprites and she'd probably translate to that style fairly seamlessly. Kim Pine and Kim Pine's deadpan expression may have been a subconscious design aid, too.

About Jinako... It's ridiculous to think that two girls could run Grab-N-Go all by themselves. That works out to 12-hour shifts seven days a week, since Grab-N-Go never closes. So in case you were wondering about that... there are other employees. But, for the sake of conservation of detail, simplicity, and not having to use a bunch of interchangeable minor employee characters, Jinako is the only other one we ever see, and the default one to appear if Grab-N-Go becomes the center of attention at a time Mary is busy elsewhere. She and Mary are close friends, and the two of them are the real brains behind the store and its' success.

I've very happy with the little group of Silence, Blade, and Mary - or, as Chao called them in a PM to me, The Power Trio. Not since the Sarahkin have I made a character group I was this satisfied at the reception and development of. I've considered having 2016 be their final year, and it would make sense for them to stay in Vegas as the kobbers move on to new adventures in another part of the world, but... I can't rule out their returns for sure, because the three of them presented interesting new opportunities and challenges for me, and I've grown very fond of all three. It's also possible that someday Mary could pass the torch to Jinako, and she becomes the important one in a future season. Who can say for sure? Given the way RP changes over time, not even me.

Chatzy Madness Volume 243: Fun Is A Nonexistent Variable

SteelKomodo: um
SteelKomodo: i made a thing
SteelKomodo: based on some stuff Chao showed me

ShiningChao: sk, please
SteelKomodo: i regret... something?
ShiningChao: you just Regret
ShiningChao: in general
SteelKomodo: indeed

---

iKomodo: Ash-Greninja seems to be an anime only thing, basically Greninja gets a power boost but Ash feels any damage he takes
ShiningChao: you know what else was an anime only thing?
ShiningChao: ZYGARDE BEING IMPORTANT
ShiningChao: *shots fired*
iKomodo: You win the Marie award for best zinger

Character Musings: Expose the Esoteric

Fite Club graduates are not a foreign concept to the community. You know how it is - you play as a character for Fite Club or maybe even the Bonus Boss Pavilion, and you wind up getting attached to them and suddenly they're a regular character. So it was with Sumireko Usami, my contribution to the big Touhou bandwagon (while I had earlier played Letty Whiterock and Rin Satsuki, they were both minor characters with little to no future prospects).

And that's how I wound up with this dork as one of my central characters.

It all began the day Urban Legend In Limbo, the game Sumireko debuted in, was released. Chao, our resident Touhou expert, pointed out the intensity of the series' fanbase by showing artwork of Sumireko on Pixiv that was uploaded shortly after the game's release despite her being the final boss of the game, meaning people had IMMEDIATELY purchased it, then IMMEDIATELY played through the entire game to the final boss (not as hard a thing to do as usual, since this one was an arcade-style 2D fighter instead of a bullet hell shmup), saw Sumireko, and drew fanart of her. The below picture managed to be the very first one uploaded, save for a couple of "speculation" pictures that were what people thought Sumireko would look like when all that was known was her name.

The design immediately caught my eye. Cool hat, cool cape, cool hair, glasses (rare on a touhou character), and a pose that radiated confidence. This girl thinks she's a badass. But, at the end of the day, I ultimately considered her to be nothing more than a neat idea for a Fite Club. Specifically, a magician-off with Kaito. Sumireko is not a magician in canon, but I went with it for a few different reasons:

1: Her outfit makes her look like a magician

2: It made her fit in to the setting better (Las Vegas is famous for its' many magic acts!)

3: The personality I envisioned her with made "stage magician" a career choice she'd be likely to pick

And so ZFRP Sumireko was born. She was still only going to be a Fite Club opponent, and made only one brief cameo after that before Harpy began her oft-talked-about three-event Touhou plot that invited everyone with a Touhou character to send them. I went ahead and sent Sumireko to the first event, and as I tried to feel out her personality, her hamminess got emphasized. By the end of the plot, several people told me how much they enjoyed her, and on the spur of the moment I decided she would attend every other event in Harpy's plot as well. Then I decided she would also attend every event in the larger plot that Touhou Plot was part of. And she also attended every Alruthine event, because by that point I had researched Sumireko a bit more and found to my delight that she was an amateur paranormal investigator with a deep interest in the occult. Not only does the same subject fascinate me, I already had Viola, who shared Sumireko's interest, but approached it in a different way and had different focuses within the category. This was an easy hook to get Sumireko in with my other characters, and resulted in the forming of the Chaoservice Contingent thanks to Gloria also sharing some interests with Sumireko. Overall, the three of them just felt like a perfect fit to be friends.

It took a while, but Sumireko eventually managed to develop into a full and proper character after the initial "test run" of only sending her on certain plots. She began making normal appearances in the bar and also popped up on plots that weren't part of her initial scope. By then I knew she was sticking around for the long haul, but like a lot of my debuts, she didn't get her own plot right away. She's getting it this year, though, and I have grand plans!

You know, one of my favorite things about RP is when I manage to really make people happy with my writing. I've gotten a lot of you to smile or laugh with Sumireko, and that's just great. I'm happy I could entertain you with this nerd.

Chatzy Madness Volume 242: Bad News From The Gorilla Galaxy

Eggchao: nobody likes jr. troopa
Eggchao: everyone cheered when okuu beat him up
Paper Mario: 2016 final boss: Jr. Troopa
Paper Mario: he done stole a mecha, by gawd
Paper Mario: HE'LL SQUASH PIT AND PAPER MARIO IN ONE FELL SWOOP
Paper Mario: or something
SteelKomodo: oh god D:

---

Eggchao: the only thing that could bury Vyse or Magnolia when it's her turn
Eggchao: is Sarah
Eggchao: ​because she is so large
Paper Mario: SHE IS LARGE AND POINTING
Paper Mario: WHAT THE FUCK
Gooper Blooper: hahahahaha I remember that
Eggchao: I AM LARGE
Eggchao: i still wonder what the original cover was
Eggchao: i found the original
Eggchao: and
Eggchao: it's still weird
Gooper Blooper: link
Gooper Blooper: 2slow
Eggchao: slower than patchy?
Gooper Blooper: SHE IS LARGE AND READING
Paper Mario: my what the fuck remains largely unchanged

---

Eggchao: in Bravely Second, if you beat random encounters in one turn, you get offered the chance to have another battle for bonus EXP, JP, and gold, and can keep cycling
Eggchao: it's not mandatory, there's also a "no i'm done" button
Gooper Blooper: Interesting
Gooper Blooper: sounds like a way to make grinding even less painless than it already was in BD
Gooper Blooper: NOW YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WALK AROUND, THE BATTLES WILL COME TO YOU
Gooper Blooper: ...oh god
Gooper Blooper: I just remembered the BD skill that instantly kills enemies if they're low-level
Eggchao: are you also imagining ​infinite obliterate
Eggchao: YES
Eggchao: just mash l over and over
Gooper Blooper: a never-ending conveyor belt of enemies waddling to their death
Gooper Blooper: while your party just sits there
Eggchao: that's a detail i appreciate
Eggchao: they made the "yes give me another random battle" button L instead of A
Eggchao: so you can't screw yourself over with button mashing
Gooper Blooper: See, these Bravely guys are smart
Gooper Blooper: I like the cut of their jib

(later)

Chao: would you guys like to know the change to the bestiary
Chao: it's really cool - each entry starts with a basic description
Chao: and as you beat more of each enemy, you get notes added by the player characters (up to four notes)
Chao: bosses and other one-time enemies get the full set added right away
Gooper Blooper: Ah, nice
ivel: huh
ivel: that is neat
Paper Mario: considering you'll be fighting these enemies
Paper Mario: like
Paper Mario: a lot
Gooper Blooper: I'm pretty sure the BD bestiary was written by Ringabel, considering the description always snuck in a compliment for the female humanoid enemies
Paper Mario: "ugh i've been fighting slimes for fucking ever, i wonder what magnolia has to say about it"
Chao: yeah, that'd make sense
Paper Mario: ringabel did it
Paper Mario: he always does it
Gooper Blooper: it was his journal, after all
Paper Mario: but how does he do it
Paper Mario: ​sexily

---

Draco: Parsee was almost jealous that people don't make cute cards of her, but then she remembered that she's not a Pokemon.
Draco: ​She's an elf.
ivel: so Magic the Gathering then?
Jumpropeman: and she'll never be one, not with that attitude
Gooper Blooper: Parsee the elf jokes
Gooper Blooper: good times
Gooper Blooper: ​DRINK CHOCOLATE MILK, ELF​
Draco rolled a die with 21 sides. The die showed: 13
Draco: Parsee drinks chocolate milk.

Chatzy Madness Volume 241: Finding Luigi

GarnetChao: remember when jackal looked like he wasn't a jobber
GarnetChao: what a single plot that was
SteelKomodo: hahaha
GarnetChao: (he actually did fine in that plot where the mob attacked ko, but after that...)
SteelKomodo: (poor guy :< )

---

GarnetChao: hey sk
GarnetChao: remember when you were so sure you weren't going to be able to rp in season 5 very much
GarnetChao: kek
SteelKomodo: indeed

---

Chaopiece SP: "It is a marvel that the game manages to make 24 levels feel both unique and forgettable."
Chaopiece SP: wait, there were 24
Chaopiece SP: oh god, i thought it was 18
Chaopiece SP: jrm, i'm so sorry ;_;
Gooper Blooper: so does that mean
Gooper Blooper: that JRM played ​22 levels of Bubsy 3D to 100% in one day
Jumpropeman: yuuuup, and I had to give level 2 a once over to unlock 3
Chaopiece SP: ;_;7

---

iKomodo: Ok so
iKomodo: ages ago, I said I was gonna do worldbuilding dumps in the AU topic
iKomodo: and I never did
Jumpropeman: is it time for that dump
iKomodo: But now I feel the urge to, since I have suddenly started coming up with squid language
Gooper Blooper: woomy
eggvel: if you feel like taking a dump I won't stop you
iKomodo: Ivel pls

---

Jumpropeman: don't google Bubsy fanart
Jumpropeman: for some reason people really like to reimagine him as a sexy female bobcat
Jumpropeman: "sexy", I should say
Gooper Blooper: kek
Gooper Blooper: boobsy
eggvel: I Googled it
eggvel: BI
Jumpropeman: "Bubsy in Claws Encounter of the Furred King"
Jumpropeman: this typo
Jumpropeman: was amazing
Jumpropeman: BUBSY, THE FURRED KING
Gooper Blooper: THE FURRED KING
eggvel: lel
Chaopiece SP: i was about to ask if that was a porno title
Chaopiece SP: considering what you just told us
Gooper Blooper: No, the porno is Boobsy 3DDD
eggvel: Gooplz
Jumpropeman: What could pornssibly go wrong?