Board 8 > November Game of the Month Club Replay: The Wonderful 101, F.I.S.T:, Bug Fables

(+) Yeah! (+)

November's Games:
The Wonderful 101
F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch
Bug Fables

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 three 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 three 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
- You have 9 supports you can use throughout the year. Your only limitations are that you can't support your own nomination, and you can only use one support per game per 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 13
FakeAccount3000 12
Cody11533 10
KCF0107 9
Mauron 7
Kenri 5
ViolentAbacus 2
MetalMindStats 2
ctesjbuvf 2
Wicklebee 1
Suprak 1
HaRRich 1

Previous Games Played:
Alan Wake
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Cthuhlu Saves the World
F-Zero
Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve
Hatoful Boyfriend
House in Fata Morgana, The
Inside
Last of Us, The
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Prime
Nier: Automata
Oxenfree
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 1
Portal
Portal 2
Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt
Return of the Obra Dinn
Saga Frontier
Sexy Brutale, The
Short Hike, A
Stick it to the Man
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario World
Tomb Raider (2013)
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Undertale
Yoku's Island Express
Yooka-Laylee
Wolfenstein: The New Order

Bonus Nominations This Month:
Cody11533

I started on F.I.S.T. Having fun so far, though it's hard for me not to have fun with a Metroidvania.

Movement is good between the dash, wall jump, and double jump. Attacks feel a bit slow/heavy/weighty, which makes a certain amount of sense, though it's a bit off putting when not battling one on one. My issue there is that, despite what I just said, some I feel like I'm being attacked mid combo, even though I'm a literal whirlwind.

The game also has some technical issues, the most most obvious being the major amounts of texture pop in. Par for the course for an Unreal Engine game, and it's mostly an annoyance more than anything else.

Gonna try to do Bug Fables and FIST, assuming I can get the latter working on Steam Deck. This might be a busy month for me though so we'll see!

I've been playing F.I.ST., and it seems fine, but I really wish that they gave you a block or dodge (dash is not a substitute) move. Combat seems a little off otherwise, like the player abilities and enemy abilities/tendencies don't seem to form a cohesive combat structure/flow without some gaming/genre staples being included.

KCF0107 posted...

I've been playing F.I.ST., and it seems fine, but I really wish that they gave you a block or dodge (dash is not a substitute) move. Combat seems a little off otherwise, like the player abilities and enemy abilities/tendencies don't seem to form a cohesive combat structure/flow without some gaming/genre staples being included.

Yeah, a block would be nice. Slight spoiler here, but you CAN find a parry ability. I really suck at parries though and can never quite get the timing down. Every once in a while I bungle into it and Im always surprised.

You eventually get to a point where you can do combat training, and let me tell you, it really reveals my annoyance with combat timing. I can do basic 3-4 hit combos but the 7-8 step things they ask of you in the training are mostly beyond me. The animation priority and movement timing was just not syncing up with my fingers and brain.

I just wish F.I.S.T ran better because last time I tried, mannnn

While the game is fine enough, I can't seem to muster the desire to have longer sessions in F.I.S.T. I'm at 21% complete with 3-something hours in the game while probably putting in five or so sessions.

Metroidvania's have a naturally compulsive pull for me. I think I'm around 50% at this point based on the title screen, which seems low, considering I've had the (seemingly) final weapon for an hour or two now.

The final weapon unlocks some very Ori-esque movement abilities. Wasn't enjoying it in combat though, other than liking its AoE hold x ability. To me, the 2nd weapon just seems miles away the best to use for combat, as it absolutely shreds through the lifebars of bosses.

At about 70% now. I was doing some mop up last night of some areas I missed now that I seemingly have all the powers and weapons. I figure I've got maybe 2-3 more new areas to go.

The underwater sections really, really suck. The controls are awful and everything feels like an absolute chore. ...With that said, it's possible I'm just "missing something" because I only just realized the red/orange barriers can be destroyed by the fist with one of the SP powers.

87% now going into what I imagine must be the final area. Done everything possible up to this point, other than the training, which is a timing nightmare so I probably won't do it.

The area I just finished was not a favorite of mine. It ends with an Ori-like escape sequence which took me about a dozen attempts to complete because of lots of insta-death.

Yeah, I hated the training when I played it for the GOTM

I don't even know what training is referring to. I once went past Master Wu or whatever his name is who said he could set up some training dummies, but I just left.

KCF0107 posted...

I don't even know what training is referring to. I once went past Master Wu or whatever his name is who said he could set up some training dummies, but I just left.

That's exactly where it is (in Joffre Street). And apparently completing the training for a weapon unlocks the last tier of abilities to buy.

F.I.S.T. beated!

Those last 3 boss fights were very challenging. A lot of deaths. I really had to use all my skills and abilities instead of just button mashing through.

Got 95% which is good enough for me.

I just haven't dedicated a whole lot of time to this as I'm only up to around 35% in F.I.S.T. The map seems useful for collectibles that I've missed and will probably not go back to collect, but the one time I really needed it for understanding where I needed to go next, it was useless lol. I took the subway and ball transporter to a few places before I successfully made one last effort before consulting a guide.

Not sure I'll finish it before the end of the month because apparently it's pretty long, but I've started Bug Fables.

Good luck. I just haven't had time this month.

I have pretty much just played F.I.S.T. since my last message. I'm up to 60-something% in around 9-10 hours, and it feels like I'm at the final location. I would have done more with collectibles since they have tangible benefits, but they have two different fast travel systems for some reason, and the areas are just too large (many of which have obstacles/platforming challenges I would have to do over again) to want to spend potentially multiple hours just to see what things I may not have collected before.

KCF has beaten F.I.S.T.

77% in 11 hours

I definitely thought better of it later in the game when I got the whip as it became my first weapon of choice in combat. Enemies were a bit too spongy though for as little reward as they gave. It was "funny" how in the early going I struggled more with random mobs of enemies than I did with bosses.

I'm going to nominate

Minit
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

I still have plenty of time in the month, so I may actually be able to beat Wonderful 101, but I highly doubt it would be before the drawing.

Support Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

I'd definitely replay that

I just finished chapter 5 of Bug Fables so it seems like I probably will beat it before the end of the month. Probably not before the drawing, though.

Nominate Hypnospace Outlaw

It got late so I didn't of the drawing today, but I'm going to do it when I wake up so final warning.

Kenri has beaten Bug Fables

Whew, right under the wire...!

What a good game. Among everything else that stands out - the charming storyline, the good music, the large number of combat builds - is how well balanced the difficulty seems. I played on hard mode and that was just about right, where basically every major boss required me to pull out all the stops. I'd usually end those battles with half my party downed, no TP, few items left. Admittedly it accomplishes this through the kinda annoying boss design where the boss ramps up as it gets closer to death, so the best strategy is almost always to conserve everything for the last third of the fight, but it made for some challenging and memorable bosses. The final boss in particular was a doozy and I had to use a pretty cheap badge combo to win that, even at max level.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this Paper Mario x Hollow Knight fanfiction!

Nominate: The Forgotten City

Nominate:

Remember Me
Zelda: Link to the Past

last second drawing incoming?

Whoops, forgot about this since I've been writing a novel this month. I'll pull now.

Minit, Remember Me, Zelda: Link To The Past are the winners. Congratulations to the winners!