Platform | Nintendo Switch |
Finished | 2019-09-22 |
Started | 2018-11-10 |
Time | 99h |
Award | Game of the Year 2018 |
Fond memories of semi-impulsively buying a Switch in Shinjuku, much like many console purchases before, and sneaking Xeno time during baby naps on our long stay in Tokyo. Lost interest for half a year, much like the first Xenoblade, then got way back into it during a hectic time at work that called for some mindless JRPG decompression. |
Platform | PlayStation 4 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2017-07-15 |
Started | 2017-05-25 |
Time | 40h |
Award | Game of the Year 2017 |
Details | Ending E, with finality. |
Finished | 2016-01-09 |
Started | 2015-12-26 |
Details | Watched Josiah play for Silent Saturday |
Platform | Wii U |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2015-12-26 |
Started | 2015-12-04 |
Time | 80h |
Award | Game of the Year 2015 |
This was not at all what I’d hoped Xeno would become, and much of the depth and mystique that made me such a fan of the previous games just isn’t here. But it’s fantastic at what it does. I eventually got genuinely hooked on exploring its colossal world, meeting its silly inhabitants, and beating up a wide variety of aliens. Much like the first Xenoblade, I find myself a bit homesick for it long after it’s over. |
Platform | PlayStation 4 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2015-12-05 |
Started | 2015-11-07 |
Details | Silent Saturday with Josiah |
This had some of the most provocative decisions I have ever seen in a game. Not just mundane “whose life do you save” choices, but ones that are genuinely philosophical and that often split our group down the middle. |
Platform | PlayStation Portable |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2015-02-22 |
Started | 2014-11-11 |
Time | 83h |
Award | Game of the Year 2014 |
Platform | PlayStation Portable |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2014-11-09 |
Started | 2011-05-16 |
Time | 37h |
I played the P2 duology out of order, which was actually probably ideal. More late PSX-era graphics, more weird psychology, more Amano Maya, more Persona 2! These games are so emblematic to me of the strange, hip, geeky Japan of the 1990s. |
Platform | PlayStation Vita |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2014-10-26 |
Started | 2014-04-16 |
Award | Cultural Phenomenon Award |
I think Project Diva is the perfect artifact to represent the entire Vocaloid phenomenon. So many creative folks’ efforts went into creating it, but my favorite fact about this game is that the motion capture for when Miku plays guitar was done by one of my favorite bands, Gacharic Spin. |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2014-10-17 |
Started | 2013-09-08 |
Time | 109h |
Details | Played 2 of 3 routes |
The joke was that nobody would want to watch a Japanese visual novel on Twitch. But a few friends ended up immersing ourselves in the day-to-day rhythms of this game together, and developed elaborate inside jokes and rituals for the narrative’s meditatively repetitive nature. I wish Nasu Kinoko was better at editing, though; I like drawn-out pacing but nearly every scene felt about 50% too long! |
Platform | Macintosh |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2013-12-24 |
Started | 2013-12-08 |
Award | MacVenture Torch |
Details | Steam |
I am so ready for the generation of mature, intelligent, heartfelt games that this heralds. Played through it with my cousin Steve as a revival of our MacVenture days, then again on my own with commentary, then played through it for H. |
Platform | PlayStation Portable |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2013-12-21 |
Started | 2013-10-03 |
Time | 40h |
Solid, meat-and-potates, earnestly pre-moe JRPG. Focuses on the experience of traveling around a rich fantasy world, which feels like it existed long before you came along, and discovering the complex relationships between its people and institutions. Doesn’t focus on gimmicks, technology, or unlockable swimsuits for your female party members. The promising beginning to what seems to be a truly epickal series. |
Platform | Wii |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2013-12-14 |
Started | 2012-04-21 |
Time | 77h |
Award | Game of the Year 2013 |
Given how often I find myself wanting to go back and play this again, maybe it should have gotten five stars. The excitement of a brand-new Xeno title that Shishka and I could play together was huge; he’s the one who got me into Xenogears in the first place, so many years ago. The world and much of the story felt appropriately epickal for the Xeno name. The tedium of the back third of the game cost me so much enthusiasm, though. |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2012-04-07 |
Started | 2012-02-11 |
Award | Game of the Year 2012 |
Details | Silent Satelier |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2012-02-04 |
Started | 2012-01-14 |
Time | 50h |
Award | Character of the Year 2012: Mimi |
Details | Check time |
Platform | iOS |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2012-02-04 |
Started | 2011-08-25 |
Time | 50h |
Award | Game of the Year 2011 |
Platform | iOS |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2011-06-27 |
Started | 2011-05-26 |
Time | 12h |
Award | Character of the Year 2011: FES |
Details | second play campaign to get extra endings |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2011-05-13 |
Started | 2010-02-08? |
Time | 39h |
Award | Comeback Award |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2011-03-20 |
Started | 2011-02-28 |
Time | 20h |
Details | Check time |
Platform | PlayStation Portable |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2010-12-25 |
Started | 2010-10-28 |
Time | 66h |
Award | Game of the Year 2010 |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2010-11-07 |
Started | 2010-08-27; 2010-11-14 |
Time | 80h |
Award | Team-Up Award |
Details | Check time |
The one game that Hiroko and I enthusiastically played through together in its entirety. |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2010-07-27 |
Started | 2010-02-22 |
Time | 35h |
Award | Character of the Year 2010: Tilia |
Impressions; Button Trance: Ar tonelico 3; Addendum: Of Tilia |
Platform | PlayStation Portable |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2010-05-15; 2010-06-16 |
Started | 2010-05-02; 2010-05-15 |
Time | 50h |
Details | Clock bug |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2010-02-07 |
Started | 2010-01-23 |
Time | 12h |
Details | Check time |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2010-01-25 |
Started | 2010-01-18 |
Time | 12h |
Platform | Wii |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2010-01-23 |
Started | 2010-01-17 |
Time | 8h |
Details | Silent Saturday |
Platform | Game Boy Advance |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2010-01-16 |
Started | 2009-12-03 |
Time | 40h |
Award | Longevity Award |
Details | Gift from Chris, PAX 2009 |
Platform | PlayStation |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2009-12-02 |
Started | 2009-09-09 |
Time | 75h |
Award | Second-Time Award |
Details | 10-year anniversary run |
Platform | PlayStation 3 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2009-11-12 |
Started | 2009-10-09 |
Time | 63h |
Award | Game of the Year 2009 |
Details | w/ Artbook & Soundtrack CD |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2008-5-29 |
Started | 2007-7-17 |
Time | 57h |
Platform | PlayStation |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2008-12-28 |
Started | 2008-11-13 |
Time | 75h |
Award | Game of the Year 2008 |
Platform | Nintendo DS |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2008-11-01 |
Started | 2008-07-24 |
Time | 60h |
Award | Tabletop Nostalgia Award |
Details | Check time |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2008-04-14 |
Started | 2007-11-01 |
Time | 108h |
Award | Game of the Year 2007 |
Button Trance: Ar tonelico 2 |
Platform | Nintendo DS |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2007-02-23 |
Started | 2007-01-31 |
Time | 12h |
Platform | Game Boy Advance |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2007-01-31 |
Started | 2007-01-02 |
Time | 13h |
Platform | Game Boy Advance |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2007-01-02 |
Started | 2006-09-19 |
Time | 32h |
Platform | Wii |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2006-12-10 |
Started | 2006-11-23 |
Time | 46h |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | NA |
Finished | 2006-09-24 |
Started | 2006-08-20 |
Time | 36h |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2006-06-10 |
Started | 2006-02-24 |
Time | 60h |
Award | Game of the Year 2006 |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Region | JP |
Finished | 2006 |
Started | 2006 |
The people at Pink Godzilla practically made me take this when I bought some other game there, and I can see why. It made for a pretty dumb couple of hours at Shishka’s house. |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Finished | 2005-09-10 |
Started | 2005-08-16 |
Time | 34h |
Award | Character of the Year 2005: Subaru |
Platform | Dreamcast |
Finished | 2003 |
Started | 2003 |
Award | Character of the Year 2003: Kotori |
Platform | PlayStation 2 |
Finished | 2002-04-22 |
Started | 2002-03-04 |
Award | Fanaticism Award |
The announcement of a new Xeno game marked my first phase of fervent video game geekery. I ended up teaming with some folks online to create a guide and script translation. |
Platform | Dreamcast |
Finished | 2002 |
Started | 2002 |
Time | 12h |
Award | All-Time Character Award: Kouran |
A personal account of my experiences with Sakura Taisen. An article about the series that I wrote for HG101. |