Board 8 > March Game of the Month Club Replay: Metroid Prime and Castlevania: LOS

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What is Game of the Month Club Replay?

Game of the Month Replay is a community project based upon the Game of the Month Club. Much like the GOTM Club, it's open to all B8ers where users share, discover, play and/or discuss a bonus chosen game every month. The two games featured each month are chosen by YOU the users (and Lady Luck).

The only catch is, it must be a game that the GOTM Club has already played, so it's an opportunity to replay games you may have missed out on the first time or just want to try again.

The Basics

- Each month will usually feature two games that were chosen via a random drawing from a pool of games that users nominated
- For each of the games you beat you get a cool point on our just-for-fun standings as well as a nomination for next month's randomized drawing
- In order to receive the point and nomination, you must beat said game within the calendar month
- If you beat one of the current month's games in the previous month, you can apply for a "recently beaten waiver," but you will only receive a point and no nomination should you do so
- Drawing for next month's game is usually on the 25th
- If you periodically keep us posted on your progress and/or talk about different aspects of the games, then everyone will think you are super awesome!

Nomination Rules

- You get one nomination automatically each month
- You receive additional nominations each month for beating one of the featured games
- Each game you nominate has to be one that was already nominated for the GOTM Club.
- You can nominate games that have already been selected for the Replay Topic, but not the same game twice in a row.
- Each game must be a standalone game that can be acquired and played on its own (aka cannot be DLC/expansion that requires the base game)
- Nominations only carry over if you beat a featured game after the drawing for next month's game but before the end of the month

Thanks to KCF0107 for giving permission for the GOTM Club Replay topic to exist. Most of the rules of the Replay Topic are the same as the GOTM club. If you're wondering what the Game of the Month Club is, here's the link to the current club; https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80296931

Games eligible for this topic; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1X8E8oqzES42W4S82j7WTfNnzNa8c3uXdSE1rnqYG7WM

Just For Fun Standings

Seanchan 7
FakeAccount3000 4
Cody11533 3
KCF0107 2
Kenri 2
Wicklebee 1
MetalMindStats 1
ViolentAbacus 1
Suprak 1
HaRRich 1

I hope to get around to Lords of Shadow. It is apparently longer than I would have thought for a Castlevania game, so I am not optimistic that I will end up beating it.

KCF0107 posted...

I hope to get around to Lords of Shadow. It is apparently longer than I would have thought for a Castlevania game, so I am not optimistic that I will end up beating it.

Yeah, it's much longer than you'd expect.

Looking back, I was apparently very negative on this game, likely not helped by the fact that I'm generally a fan of the franchise. Despite looks nice (at the time), it apparently had a bad framerate on 360. I also thought it was more than a bit of a slog early on and quite hard, to the point of dropping the difficulty to easy.

No interest in going back myself, but I look forward to hearing about your experience.

That's unfortunate about the 360 issues since that is the version that I will be playing. It is BC though, and I have an XB1 and Xbox Series, so maybe it got some FPS and/or performance boost on those systems.

Tag

I was able to snag a physical copy of Metroid Prime Remastered today because I am stubborn so I'll likely be starting that next week.

I highly recommend playing Lord of Shadow on Hard difficulty. Makes you appreciate the gameplay mechanics much more.

plasmabeam posted...

I highly recommend playing Lord of Shadow on Hard difficulty. Makes you appreciate the gameplay mechanics much more.

I see what you're saying but I'm going to counter by saying I generally don't play games on raised difficulty levels and don't consider challenge to be my primary motivation for gaming any longer.

I was thinking; part of the fun of an x of the month club ( such as book) isn't just playing or reading the same thing, but discussing it. So I was trying to think of how to encourage discussion and came up with this; if anyone posts five times about one of the game of the month games they can have a bonus nomination. Discussion is intended to encourage conversation, and while I wasn't planning to enforce a character limit, things more than just "beat x game" would be encouraged. I figure this isn't a difficult task but it's more to encourage participation than a challenge. Even if you aren't playing the game that month engaging someone who is in discussion seems worth the nomination to me, since it can only enhance the enjoyment of playing games together imo...thoughts?

It's not the worst idea, though I could see someone trying to "game" it.

As someone who tries to participate in both Game of the Month topics and the weekly Rank the Tracks, I do find that there's sometimes a lack of discussion about the game/album in question. But I'm also sympathetic to the fact that people are busy and it's tough some times just getting through a piece of media, much less trying to write interesting and thoughtful posts. Plus, you know people always procrastinate and don't finish until the last few days, so there's often times not time to have a good discussion.

I have been Metroid Prime because the physical copy came out some days ago. I haven't played it for a decade+ but it holds up great.

Seanchan posted...

It's not the worst idea, though I could see someone trying to "game" it.
.

I won't say I didn't consider that on some level, but I also realized that it being hard to do wasn't the point; it being something easy enough everyone wanted to do it is more likely to get a conversation started.

If it became egregious that someone was posting fluff maybe I'd have to do something but I don't really anticipate that? Besides, I don't see the people who play in these clubs as the kind of people to try and cheat the system. The whole club is on the honor system as it is.

Simply put I trust you guys. :)

Yeah my issue with posting more (in this topic and the main one) is that most of the games I end up playing are very short, which means I usually finish them in one or two sittings. So I post some thoughts on the whole thing but there's not much room for like, running commentary. The incentive of an extra nomination might help, though I imagine I still won't be able to talk about, like, Space Funeral for 5 posts.

I started playing Metroid Prime on the GameCube to see how it is. Might end up beating it this month.

I will be getting my copy of Metroid Prime this week!

I started Lords of Shadow and man looking at the map screen when I was finished, there are an obscene amount of levels based on its various indicators.

It functions fine, but there are some design choices that recall some of the frustrating things about 00s and early 10s gaming. The camera has issues in combat and platforming that combined with the image quality from that time, it can be hard to discern objects, attack patterns, etc...

That swamp level also kind of sucked due to its labyrinthian layout and how much of a slog it was to move through the water.

I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it, and I probably won't pick it up again until I do Hi-Fi Rush in the main project, but at least I played some of it.

KCF0107 posted...

I started Lords of Shadow and man looking at the map screen when I was finished, there are an obscene amount of levels based on its various indicators.

It functions fine, but there are some design choices that recall some of the frustrating things about 00s and early 10s gaming. The camera has issues in combat and platforming that combined with the image quality from that time, it can be hard to discern objects, attack patterns, etc...

That swamp level also kind of sucked due to its labyrinthian layout and how much of a slog it was to move through the water.

I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it, and I probably won't pick it up again until I do Hi-Fi Rush in the main project, but at least I played some of it.

This all tracks with my time with the game in 2012. I have notes that the game does get better around the 10 hour mark...but that's a big ask when you're not enjoying the game. Definitely a "if I have time at the end of the month" type of game.

Finished up everything you can do at Chozo Ruins in Metroid Prime. Which is mostly getting back the same upgrades as you had in the tutorial in disguise level. The last boss that gives the Varia Suit you need to move on is fun.

I had planned on buying and playing Prime this weekend, but had unexpected car maintenance & not sure if I'll be able to get it or not.

Even if I do get back into Lords of Shadow, I highly doubt that I will beat it before the drawing, so I might as well nominate now. There are several games that I intended to beat when they came up but life or something else got in the way. Let's choose...

Dishonored 2

It takes that long to beat?

Started MP: Remaster today. Just did the opening sequence.

Was trying to figure out which control scheme works best. I used Dual Stick since camera control on the right stick feels right...but then again I hate playing shooters with gamepads. Pointer had promise too but something about moving view with the gryo was weirding me out. The other 2 options just felt completely unnatural in 2023.

Apparently there's a camera option to enable gyro aim with Dual Stick, so I need to try that out.

I can confirm that when using the Dual Stick control option, the Camera option can be changed from Stick to Gyro+Stick, which is exactly what I was looking for.

I'm playing it with any gyro, think just default controls and I think it had worked just fine.

I've just did a better part of the Phazon Mines. Up until finally getting the Grapple Beam

Castlevania, Man those giant titans are a real pain. They shake you so often. Just finished off a second one. I'm so much better at the smaller bosses. Only two tries on the lycan lord.

My cousin let me borrow their copy of Metroid Prime, so let's see if I can beat it before the drawing.

I'm almost finished. Phazon Mines is still the best area in the game. I'm just going around collecting everything to get the best ending now and then final bosses after that.

Walking across the giant chains was pretty epic. I can't say it's not true the game is improving, although the fussy movement controls and way too many moves cycles between fun and frustrating. That blowtorch fire attack can be quite handy if you actually get enough time to use it, for example, but it's quite a complicated one to activate. I'm not sure I've actually pulled off some of the moves yet even...

One thing I find is so much of your powers being related to the hidden gems makes them basically essential to find, but the game really likes locking you into your progress in stages which makes searching for them difficult without a lot of replaying stages entirely.

Metroid Prime beaten.

I got 100% items and log book scans so I got to see the extra ending clip of Dark Samus that teases the sequels. The final boss against Metroid Prime is pretty great in its first form, a bit less so in its second form imo. Meta Ridley is also really good. Overall, the game is still extremely fun 20 years later (or like +10 years since I last beat it on the Wii Trilogy). Set some great standard for the 3D version of the genre that's named after it. My favorite aspect of the game is the exploration part and reading all the lore to piece togehter what's actually going on and where you are.

I haven't really done these topic before, but as I read it I get two nomintations for next month for having beaten Metroid Prime?

Is there anywhere to see what games have already been replayed? Plenty of great games to choose from but it'd be a shame to nominate something that was just on in like January.

FakeAccount3000 posted...

Games eligible for this topic; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1X8E8oqzES42W4S82j7WTfNnzNa8c3uXdSE1rnqYG7WM

Go to the sheet marked "Previous Games"

Everything is in alphabetical order there

Oh wait, you are asking something different. Let me see if I can remember and edit this post with what has been done, but hopefully Fake chimes in.

The replay club is maybe not that old?

Yeah, it started late last year

Oh okay, so if I'm right that I have two nominations. I nominate

Batman: Arkham City
Wario Land: SML3

KCF0107 posted...

Oh wait, you are asking something different. Let me see if I can remember and edit this post with what has been done, but hopefully Fake chimes in.

Alan Wake
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
The Last of Us
Metroid Prime
Oxenfree
Portal
Portal 2
Return of the Obra Dinn
The Sexy Brutale
Super Mario Bros. 3
Wolfenstein: The New Order

That looks accurate to me.

I just Beat Castlevania Lords of Shadow

That last flying titan was a real pain in the ass let me tell you, and the final boss.. Well let's just say I can see why having to do quicktime events to finish off bosses died. In general. That post credits scene was a real surprise though let me tell you.

Nominate:
The House in Fata Morgana
Penny Arcade on the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1

Games Beaten
Metroid Prime - ctesjbuvf

Nominations
Batman: Arkham City - ctesjbuvf
Dishonored 2 - KCF0107
The House in Fata Morgana - FakeAccount3000
Penny Arcade on the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1 - FakeAccount3000
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land - ctesjbuvf

Warning; I'm doing the pull for new games for April tomorrow. I'll try to do it later in the day to give people some time, but when it's done it's done.

Nominate Final Fantasy VI

Nominate Super Mario World.

Nominate Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt

Finally started up Metroid, got through the tutorial area and down to the planet. First time playing a 3D Metroid, it is really cool. The game looks so nice.

Ooh, I guess supports aren't a thing for this topic but I'll definitely give Princess Remedy a replay if it wins.

Games Beaten
Metroid Prime - ctesjbuvf

Nominations
Batman: Arkham City - ctesjbuvf
Dishonored 2 - KCF0107
Final Fantasy VI - Kenri
The House in Fata Morgana - FakeAccount3000
Penny Arcade on the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1 - FakeAccount3000
Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt - Cody11533
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land - ctesjbuvf

Supports might not have been a thing when I started this since I copied the text exactly at the time. If people are interested I could add them.

I probably won't have Metroid beat by the drawing today, but definitely will by the end of the month. Pretty close now.

Nominate Secret of Monkey Island

I think you missed my Super Mario World nomination?

I'm working on Metroid Prime. Hope to have it done before the end of the month...but not sure.

(I saw it but i forgot to add it in there, my bad. I made sure to add everything for the die roll however.)

Nominations
Batman: Arkham City - ctesjbuvf
Dishonored 2 - KCF0107
Final Fantasy VI - Kenri
The House in Fata Morgana - FakeAccount3000
Penny Arcade on the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1 - FakeAccount3000
Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt - Cody11533
Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land - ctesjbuvf
Super Mario World - Seanchan
Secret of Monkey Island - ViolentAbacus

Games for April: Penny Arcade on the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1, and Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt. Congratulations to Cody11533 and myself for our games being chosen!

Princess Remedy is free on Steam and only takes an hour to play, so might play that one.

Definitely recommend people check out Princess Remedy!

I was really excited for Rain Slick Precipice when it came out but never played it, and I feel like it probably won't hold up for me now. Not even the gameplay but just the Penny Arcade part of it. So I'm probably out for that one, but I'll do Princess Remedy

I used to replay both Princess Remedy games every year and successfully beat my previous 100% completion runs each time. I think 2020 was the last year I did that, so I doubt that I will continue that upward trend. Still, I will go through it as I can probably still do it in sub-30 minutes.

Kenri posted...

I was really excited for Rain Slick Precipice when it came out but never played it, and I feel like it probably won't hold up for me now. Not even the gameplay but just the Penny Arcade part of it. So I'm probably out for that one, but I'll do Princess Remedy

I have no idea what to expect myself either, Penny Arcade stuff is stuff I haven't thought about in years. I had all four games gifted to me once and as a Zeboyd fan I need to try 3 and 4 one of these days so this is my chance to try it out.