Games of Remaster

My annual "Games of" series took a solid shape starting with "Games of 2015." There have been minor tweaks, but the 2015 post has served as a solid template. I have always wanted to "remaster" older posts to include the stats and screenshots newer "Games of" posts are known for. I also wondered if I could fill in the gaps. The missing posts for the years 2011 and 2012 have always been sore spot for me. Because of achievements, save files, and old posts, I discovered I could fill in those blanks in my post history. I also discovered I could fill in the years going back to 2005! Thus, "Games of Remaster" was born!

Modern "Games of" posts have several personal stats. My goal for the "Remasters" was to fill as many of the following stats: number of hours played, number of achievements earned, number of screenshots taken, acquisition date, acquired from, and purchase price. Because game tracking for my gaming history is incomplete, many of these stats are lost to time. If I do not have a stat, then I put "NA" for "not available."

I have added two additional stats which are required for these posts: date played and completion status. "Games of" posts are sorted by the order I played the games, so "date played" was needed to get the order correct. This stat is based on achievement timestamps, save file timestamps, and/or old posts. "Completion status" gives a little bit of insight into my thoughts on the game. I think I will be carrying this stat into future "Games of" posts.

As with the modern posts, I have included a paragraph or two with my thoughts on the game. I tried to look at old posts to get my thoughts from that period. I tried to link to the post when I could. If I had never written about the game before, then I wrote something from memory, which may or may not be accurate. Except for "2013" and "2014," I have not included screenshots. It takes a lot of time to gather screenshots, especially from older consoles.

Please enjoy these windows into the past.

Games of 2013

Below is the remaster of "Games of 2013," which was originally published on January 6, 2014. Screenshots and captions are the same. Most of the text is the same. While looking at old save files and achievements, I found additional games to add to this list. Saints Row: The Third (PC), Saints Row: The Third (PS3), and God of War: Origins Collection (PS3) have been added. I added as many stats as possible, including the games missing from the original list. I had to re-order the games to match the sorting of the "Last Played" date. There are some minor tweaks to the ending; mostly stuff that fits the flow of the new format.

Looking back, 2013 was a great year for video games. Lots of stuff happened in video game news; mainly the new console hype. I feel I played a lot of quality games this year. So, for my game of the year post, I'm going to highlight the games that I played in 2013. Just keep that "played" part in mind when you see a few games from years gone by on the list. I separated the list into categories to make it convenient for you... except each category only has one game.

Take One

Saints Row: The Third (PC)

Release date:                  11/15/2011
Date played:                   01/13/2013
Number of hours played:        72.50
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 69/89 (83%)
Number of screenshots taken:   11
Acquisition date:              12/24/2012
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $7.49
Games of 2013 - Sants Row: The Third PC

That's my purse! Give it back!

I waited too long to play Saints Row: The Third. The game has more character customization than a fantasy RPG, more set pieces than a Call of Duty game, and more missions than a Ubisoft map. The map is kind of small, the cars drive "just okay," and the guns are functional; however, being able to play as a fat man dressed like Sailor Moon (is she a character? IDK.) while beating the day lights out of gangsters with a dildo bat makes up for it. It is not perfect, but I love it.

The Same As Before But Better

God of War: Origins Collection - God of War: Chains of Olympus (PS3)

Release date:                  09/13/2011
Date played:                   02/09/2013
Number of hours played:        5.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 29/36 (81%)
Number of screenshots taken:   23
Acquisition date:              01/31/2013
Acquired from:                 Amazon
Purchase price:                $19.99
Games of 2013 - God of War: Origins Collection - God of War: Chains of Olympus

Not today, Cyclops! My button mashing skills are unmatched!

The Playstation 3 port of God of War: Chains of Olympus is a nice upgrade from the Playstation Portable version. The game is a great achievement on the PSP (kudos to Ready At Dawn), but the upscaled graphics, 60 FPS, and a full controller make this game easier to play. It is a short game, even by God of War standards, but the story swings an emotional punch. This release gave me a great reason to revisit this game.

The Perfect Remedy

God of War: Origins Collection - God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PS3)

Release date:                  09/13/2011
Date played:                   02/18/2013
Number of hours played:        6.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 30/36 (83%)
Number of screenshots taken:   11
Acquisition date:              01/31/2013
Acquired from:                 Amazon
Purchase price:                $19.99
Games of 2013 - God of War: Origins Collection - God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Kratos should not have put a ring on it.

Surprisingly, I do not think I ever finished God of War: Ghost of Sparta on the Playstation Portable. It seems like I only played it for a few minutes, and never picked it up again. The Playstation 3 release was a good reason to remedy that. It is more God of War, and that is all I want.

The Burnout

God of War: Ascension (PS3)

Release date:                  03/12/2013
Date played:                   04/01/2013
Number of hours played:        2.75
Completion status:             Early
Number of achievements earned: 12/36 (33%)
Number of screenshots taken:   46
Acquisition date:              01/31/2013
Acquired from:                 Amazon
Purchase price:                $79.99
Games of 2013 - God of War: Ascension

Oh boy! A two hit combo!

I did not beat God of War: Ascension, which is weird, because I am kind of a God of War fanboy. I played and beat all of the previous games right before this came out, but I got burned out. Ascension was fun; the combat is silky smooth as usual, and it is a little different and more interesting from God of War 3. I will pick it up again sometime in 2014 and play it to completion (no I won't).

Still Really Really Fun

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC)

Release date:                  03/12/2013
Date played:                   4/14/2013
Number of hours played:        NA
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 79/151 (52%)
Number of screenshots taken:   NA
Acquisition date:              03/12/2013
Acquired from:                 Battle.net
Purchase price:                $39.99
Games of 2013 - StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

That Leviathan is french kissing that Ultralisk, and that Ultralisk is all like "NOM NOM NOM EXPLOSIONS!"

I almost forgot that Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm came out this year. I never really stopped playing Wings of Liberty. Heart of the Swarm added a lot, and is a value at only $40. Of course, you need Wings of Liberty to play it; it is an expansion. I liked the story a lot better in Heart of the Swarm than in Wings of Liberty. They redid the Battle.net interface when they released Heart of the Swarm, and it is infinitely better. They also added experience, which is a nice little bonus. You unlock portraits, decals, animations, and skins with the experience. What else can I say? I still love me some Starcraft and they did a lot to improve upon it.

The Best AAA Game

BioShock Infinite (PC)

Release date:                  03/26/2013
Date played:                   04/14/2013
Number of hours played:        16.75
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 35/80 (44%)
Number of screenshots taken:   13
Acquisition date:              04/06/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $59.99
Games of 2013 - Bioshock Infinite

My teacher always told me to fight against racism... so I took that literally, and cut this racist's head off.

Of course I played Bioshock: Infinite, and I loved it. There is so much to love. The story, the combat, the abilities, the characters, and so much more! We will be talking about this game for a long long time. If you play one game from this list thing, it should be this one. I do not want to spoil too much, so I will keep this short. Since I should probably pick a Game of the Year, this is probably it. Really, though, most of the games on this list are worth your time.

Still Really Fun

Dishonored (PS3)

Release date:                  10/09/2012
Date played:                   04/30/2013
Number of hours played:        73.50
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 61/71 (86%)
Number of screenshots taken:   142
Acquisition date:              06/26/2012
Acquired from:                 Newegg
Purchase price:                $62.97
Games of 2013 - Dishonored

Neck stab!

I played quite of bit of Dishonored this year. Probably because DLCs came out. I replayed the main story, and beat it without being detected and without killing anyone. I had a blast doing that. Then I played through Knife of Dunwall twice; one high chaos, and one low chaos. Still a freaking fantastic game and I have been thinking about playing through it again. I have yet to play the newest DLC, The Brigmore Witches.

Much Better Than Expected

Tomb Raider (PC)

Release date:                  03/05/2013
Date played:                   05/31/2013
Number of hours played:        18.25
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 31/50 (62%)
Number of screenshots taken:   11
Acquisition date:              04/28/2013
Acquired from:                 Origin
Purchase price:                $24.99
Games of 2013 - Tomb Raider

"Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away..." into a group of psychopaths who want me dead.

I followed the Tomb Raider reboot for a while before it was released. I bought it on sale from an Origin sale of all places. The reviews really surprised me; I did not think it would do that well. Tomb Raider is so much fun. It takes the combat and exploration of Uncharted, and makes it so smooth. I never realized that I did not want to press a button to go into cover before this game. It was a blast, and showing a strong, female lead in a video game is important to this lovely industry. If you did not pick this one up, I recommend that you reconsider.

Disappointment

Hitman: Absolution (PC)

Release date:                  11/20/2012
Date played:                   07/02/2013
Number of hours played:        3.25
Completion status:             Early
Number of achievements earned: 12/47 (26%)
Number of screenshots taken:   7
Acquisition date:              04/29/2013
Acquired from:                 Green Man Gaming
Purchase price:                $9.99
Games of 2013 - Hitman: Absolution

I want to just point out that this game looks fantastic on PC, and I took this screenshot. You can knock people out, and it will look cool.

I gave Hitman Absolution a fair chance. It was one of the few games that I played this year that I did not like. I did not finish it, but played quite a few levels. I just felt like I was being punished no matter what I did. I didn't like it. As a fan of the stealth genre, this just was not my cup of tea. However, I did have to play a little bit to nab that screenshot, and that was kinda fun, so I may give it another go.

Take Two

Saints Row: The Third (PS3)

Release date:                  11/15/2011
Date played:                   07/16/2013
Number of hours played:        39.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 51/51 (100%)
Number of screenshots taken:   11
Acquisition date:              NA
Acquired from:                 NA
Purchase price:                NA
Games of 2013 - Saints Row: The Third PS3

"Shhh. Don't wake the bitches." -Zimos

Saints Row: The Third was so nice I played it twice. I think I just wanted the platinum trophy for it, so I bought it on Playstation 3. PC has a lot better graphics and FPS though.

Still Fun

Torchlight II (PC)

Release date:                  09/20/2012
Date played:                   07/18/2013
Number of hours played:        39.50
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 48/119 (40%)
Number of screenshots taken:   4
Acquisition date:              11/25/2012
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $9.99
Games of 2013 - Torchlight II

I'm a god damn purple, ghost wolf!

I have played a lot of Torchlight II. I actually beat the story finally. I have also played some coop with a friend, and that is so much fun. So much better than vanilla Diablo 3 (we will see how that ends up in March). So much interesting and useful loot, and it is so satisfying to kill monsters with your items and skills. It is great, and it is a steal at 20 bucks (and is usually on sale for cheaper).

Fear and Insanity

Far Cry 3 (PC)

Release date:                  12/04/2012
Date played:                   08/17/2013
Number of hours played:        32.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 35/50 (70%)
Number of screenshots taken:   7
Acquisition date:              04/20/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $29.99
Games of 2013 - Far Cry 3

Look at those two scaly devils! They are all like, "Look at that chicken shit standing on that jeep. Shall we go fuck with him? I think we should fuck with him."

I cannot remember why I bought Far Cry 3. I kept an eye on it ever since seeing the Vas "Instanity" trailer, but I was more curious than interested. I ended up buying it, and it is a really fun game. It is about fear. I really really really hate snakes. Snakes were pretty easy to avoid or kill in this game, but I dreaded hearing their rattling and hisses. I also learned that I really hate komodo dragons. Those bastards hide in tall grass and are speedy when they smell blood. They sneak up on you, which I hated. Other than that, the game was a lot of fun. Upgrading your abilities and weapons was enjoyable; maybe a little bit grindy. The outposts were the highlight for me. You were able to approach the outposts however you wanted. I like the stealth approach, but I did go in guns blazing a few times if I was in komodo dragon territory (I did not want to get snuck up on while I was crouching outside of the outpost). On a side note, I did not mind sharks, but a lot of people learned they were afraid of those things as well.

Best Hack and Slash Fix

DmC: Devil May Cry (PC)

Release date:                  01/25/2013
Date played:                   08/18/2013
Number of hours played:        12.50
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 28/58 (48%)
Number of screenshots taken:   79
Acquisition date:              07/16/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $24.99
Games of 2013 - DmC: Devil May Cry

Look! I found a screenshot that I didn't use in my review! And it's relevant! I'm so happy!

DMC: Devil May Cry was tons of fun. You can check out my full review if you want to know my thoughts. I really enjoyed the combat, and I have been thinking about revisiting it again on the harder difficulties. Plus, 60 frames per second on PC.

Entertained Me With A Hilarious Narrator

The Stanley Parable (PC)

Release date:                  10/17/2013
Date played:                   11/02/2013
Number of hours played:        2.25
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 3/10 (30%)
Number of screenshots taken:   1
Acquisition date:              10/22/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $11.99
Games of 2013 - The Stanley Parable

Two roads diverge in an office building... I took both on different playthroughs, and that makes me happy.

The Stanley Parable is a game that came out of nowhere for me. Markiplier played it on his channel. After I watched his first episode, I decided I need to play this game. And so I did. It is a parody on choices in video games, all wrapped with a hilarious narrator. The game has multiple endings, and each ending can be found in short bursts. If you want to you can play for a half an hour at a time, or find all the endings in one playthrough.

Definitely One of the Games In The Series

New Super Mario Bros. U (WiiU)

Release date:                  11/18/2012
Date played:                   11/26/2013
Number of hours played:        21.25
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: NA
Number of screenshots taken:   39
Acquisition date:              NA
Acquired from:                 NA
Purchase price:                NA
Games of 2013 - New Super Mario Bros. U

The console still has "wee" in its name... tehehe.

I got a Wii U a few months ago and the first game I played on it was New Super Mario Bros. U. I really enjoyed it, and I recommend reading my review. If you enjoyed any of the New Super Mario Bros. games, this is probably the best one, and you should play it. However, it probably does not justify buying a Wii U just for this game.

Best LSD Graphics

Antichamber (PC)

Release date:                  01/31/2013
Date played:                   11/30/2013
Number of hours played:        10.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: NA
Number of screenshots taken:   3
Acquisition date:              11/28/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $4.99
Games of 2013 - Antichamber

"What the fuck," indeed, Antichamber.

Antichamber is a game that surprised me. I saw it on sale for dirt cheap on Steam, and picked it up because I heard great things about it. You can read my review for more information, but the short version of it is: it is really fun, and longer than I expected. It is a fun world to explore, and it is fun to learn the world's rules.

Over The Top Fun Cranked Beyond 11

Saints Row IV (PC)

Release date:                  08/20/2013
Date played:                   12/19/2013
Number of hours played:        46.75
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 55/73 (75%)
Number of screenshots taken:   5
Acquisition date:              08/17/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $48.98
Games of 2013 - Saints Row IV

Has nothing to do with the gameplay, but a fat dude eating pancakes is the best screenshot ever.

I fell in love with Saints Row: The Third. I bought Saints Row IV right as it was released, and absolutely enjoy it. It takes the over-the-top nature of Third, and cranks up the dial beyond the max with super powers. I was worried that they game would be stale since they rehashed the world from The Third, but the super powers in IV adds a whole lot of fun options. The mission structure is a lot better, and all of the dialog is hilarious. Plus, all of the customization from The Third is back. Nothing like being a fat dude, wearing a school girl outfit, while flying through the air. If you liked The Third, you will love IV.

Definitely One of the Games In The Series (Ditto)

Super Mario 3D World (WiiU)

Release date:                  11/21/2013
Date played:                   12/21/2013
Number of hours played:        19.75
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: NA
Number of screenshots taken:   79
Acquisition date:              NA
Acquired from:                 NA
Purchase price:                NA
Games of 2013 - Super Mario 3D World

There's a lot of cat Mario in this game, but a picture of giant Mario is more entertaining. Mario loves smashing crates.

I recently finished Super Mario 3D World. Well, not 100% finished. The very last world after Bowser is a pain in my ass, as they generally are. I am having an extra bugger of a time this time though. Other than that, the abilities are lots of fun. The kitty suit is the highlight, but there are others that are just as fun. The only negative thing I can say is that it is similar to New Super Mario Bros. U. It is three dimensional, but it just feels like a side scroller most of the time. It is a lot of fun, but I did not enjoy it as much as the Galaxy games, or even Mario 64.

Made Me Feel

Gone Home (PC)

Release date:                  08/15/2013
Date played:                   12/22/2013
Number of hours played:        2.75
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: NA
Number of screenshots taken:   1
Acquisition date:              12/21/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $9.99
Games of 2013 - Gone Home

Stairs that are proportional to your character; never seen in a video game before.

I said a lot about Gone Home in my review. I suggest you read that. To summarize: I did not think I would like it, but ended up being one of the best games I have ever played. It captured so many emotions, and it had me hooked throughout my entire playthrough.

I Haven't Beaten Any Of The Other Games In The Series

Tom Clancey's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (PC)

Release date:                  08/20/2013
Date played:                   12/22/2013
Number of hours played:        32.00
Completion status:             Complete
Number of achievements earned: 23/47 (49%)
Number of screenshots taken:   13
Acquisition date:              12/01/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $29.99
Games of 2013 - Tom Clancey's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

I'm the bat!

Tom Clancey's Splinter Cell: Blacklist caught me by surprise. I played the first Splinter Cell game on the PS2, and did not like it too much. I even bought the HD collection for PS3, and tried to play through it again, but lost interest. Anyways, when a buddy of mine recommended it, I watched a few reviews. I was a bit intrigued. I picked it up on one of the Steam sales for $30. I have gotten so much joy out of it. I love the stealth genre, and this game is tons of fun. I might write up a full review of it. Playing the game to try to unlock the next weapon or armor upgrade is a blast. I love that the experience and upgrades spread across game modes, multiplayer and single player. Each level is sculpted with stealth in mind, but you could go in guns blazing if you so desired. The coop levels are designed with the same love as the single player levels. It is a joy to hop on with a friend, and figure out the best route to the objective. There was a lot of love put into this game, and I would have bought it day one for full price.

Surprisingly Really Good

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (PC)

Release date:                  05/14/2013
Date played:                   12/23/2013
Number of hours played:        5.00
Completion status:             Mostly
Number of achievements earned: 7/26 (27%)
Number of screenshots taken:   10
Acquisition date:              11/08/2013
Acquired from:                 Steam
Purchase price:                $7.49
Games of 2013 - Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

Just click on this screenshot and enjoy it… it'll put you at ease.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger surprised me. I have not played any of the other Call of Juarez games before Gunslinger. I read and watched a few reviews and it sounded good. It came out right on the heels of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (which I have not gotten around to playing) and reviewers were spewing mad praise for these two games from Ubisoft. Gunslinger is an over-the-top, bloody, western, arcade shooter. It is tons of fun. It has a well implemented bullet time mechanic, which makes it nice to watch the blood explosions. The upgrade system is well implemented. The story is also interesting; it is told from the perspective of an old bounty hunter who wanders into a bar, and he is retelling his stories to the eager listeners. Of course, he exaggerates some of the details. He paints himself into a corner, making him say things like "And right before my eyes, the path appeared before me," causing the landscape to change for you while you play. It is a good game, and worth the low price of entry.

2013 Summary

Total number of games played:       21
Total number of hours:              460.75*
Oldest game played:                 God of War: Origins Collection (PS3)
Newest game played:                 Super Mario 3D World (WiiU)
Game with most achievements earned: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC)
Favorite game to Platinum:          Saints Row: The Third (PS3)
Game with most hours played:        Dishonored (PS3)
Total spent:                        $503.79**
Personal game of the year:          BioShock Infinite (PC)

*StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC) is not included in total hours.
**Saints Row: The Third (PS3), New Super Mario Bros. U (WiiU), and Super Mario 3D World (WiiU) are not included in total cost.

These are the games that came out in 2013 and I want to play them, but I did not get a chance.

The Last of Us. I started playing The Last of Us. I played the opening sequence, and fell in love with it. It introduced me to an emotional journey, and sprinkled some action in. I played for about an hour or so, and just could not handle it. You fight mostly human enemies in the beginning, which I was okay with. Once I got to a building full of zombies, I just froze. I saw them drunkenly shuffling around. I even killed one. I just froze after killing the one and watched the other two shuffle around in the background, like blind drunks. It was not a proud moment of mine. I just shut it off. I plan on playing with a buddy of mine, which will allow me to pass to controller if I ever freeze again. I'm hoping to start that playthrough soon.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I kinda shrugged off Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons as another indie game, getting praise because it was indie. But then I played Gone Home, and the same videos that talked about Gone Home were talking about Brothers. It sounded intriguing too me the more I looked into it, so I picked it up on a Steam sale. I just have not gotten around to playing it yet, but it is next up in my queue.

Grand Theft Auto V. Of course I want to play Grand Theft Auto V. I have already played some at a friend's home. I have been holding out for a PC version, like any member of the PC Master Race. If it does not get an announcement for the PC before it is $30 or $40 on console, than I will buy it on PS3.

Battlefield 4. I need to upgrade my computer before I can get Battlefield 4. And I also have a fairly large back catalog of games to play, and another FPS (no matter how good) is not at the top of my list.

The Wolf Among Us. A Telltale game that is not based on a kiddie franchise, and does not have zombies (at least, I do not think it does); well then I am going to buy The Wolf Among Us! Telltale are masters at the adventure game genre. I have heard really good things about this one, and I did nott hesitate buying it when it was on a Steam sale. I will probably play this one after Brothers.

Rayman Legends. I bought Rayman Legends a while ago. Right after I bought a Wii U. I needed to buy something and I heard good things. I have heard it is a better platformer than Mario, which is impressive. I am looking forward to it. I just need to finish some business with Super Mario 3D World.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon has been in my backlog for awhile now. It's over the top, with 80's action movie cliches everywhere, so I am looking forward to it. Not much else to say, except that you can flip enemies the bird.

Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is another game I need to play. I beat the original Gamecube version, and, honestly, it is my favorite 3D Zelda game. It has so much charm, and is fun. The only reason I bought a Wii U, is because I wanted the Wii U controller that has Wind Waker artwork on it. Worth it.

I want to thank you for reading this post. I spent a lot of time on it. You have no idea how long it takes to capture just one screenshot that best represents each game, especially when they are across several platforms. I hope you continue reading my website, and I hope your 2014 will be full of games.

- Royfuss