JCB DUKE314,524 (223,634)

The path to 100 complete games 29 weeks in

Over half the year is gone - the days are starting to get shorter and the nights are getting shorter. For me, a nice uninterrupted period with no work travel has meant I can sit down and enjoy some gaming once everyone in the house has gone to bed.

Also, because its been unseasonably warm in the UK (which means its actually been very warm and sunny !) which means the 2 1/2 year old has been waking early, and demanding to be in the toy room which doubles as the xbox room so at 4:30 am, a little bit of gaming can be squeezed in until she can be persuaded to go back to bed!

Really good summer sale on xbox from my perspective, I picked up quite a few games - mostly all Indie's - the only actual AAA games I bought (and looking back - the only AAA games I'v bought this year!) were Mass Effect and Titanfall2 - both of which I've added to the backlog.

The last few weeks, I've been finally got this achievement which was driving me nuts as I was within 4 stars for about 8 weeks, and the drift challenges were just killing me. Finally got them both in the space of one morning. Now I just need to do the Co-op and all done with Blizzard Mountain.



Other games that I've been playing that I havn't completed this month - Wolfenstein the old blood (which I've completed as much as I intend to) which I enjoyed, not as much as the New Order but sill I think a pretty solid shooter (especially the early levels). Apart from that, I"ve also been playing some Defense Grid 2 - working towards the 100 gold medals achievement (I'm somewhere around the 35 golds I think so a fair few to go). And then I've started a few games, some of which I expect to make the completed list next month (Uncanny Valley, Narcosis)

Completed this month and putting me at 66.7% of my goal for the year (against 56% of actual time) so plenty of scope left for completions. Also having finished my previous goal with 6 months to go, I've doubled down to go or a further 40K TA score by end of year - currently the average is 170 per day and I'm slightly ahead of target. Now onto the completions:

Pneuma: Breath of life: Another walking simulator that has a narrative of the walker being a character and realising he's being played by the player (attempting to break the 4th wall). Uses the Unreal 4 engine to good effect and at least there are puzzles in this walking game compared to some of the other ones - including a one that is a bit clever. Overall better than the other games of this genre that I've played. (Dear Esther, Memories of him)

The Bunker Kind of interesting realtime video game but also very very linear. Some of the achievement collectables are very tricky to see. You can watch the story and then click in the only place to make the story move forward so in that regard, its a bit simple.

Active Soccer DX Reminiscent of the great 80's soccer games, KIck Off and Sensible Soccer. Totally and utterly unlike Fifa / PES and at least as much fun to pay. Active Soccer is a true retro game - no licnesed player names so you get classics like "mussi, neighmar, swaress" and London North, London West and Spain Capital as team names. However, and there is a little grinding to get the 100 wins and goals" its fast moving, smooth to pick up, you can score some great long range goals with lovely aftertouch control and actually a lot of fun to play.

Toby: The secret mine: which is visually similar to Badlands in that it has black and white characters and coloured backgrounds and is a former mobile game. Graphically its quite distinctive even if spotting the character from the foreground sometimes is a little challenging. The platform levels are good, not too easy and not too difficult (although a couple of levels are very challenging and well desgiend). Its not overly difficult, although getting all the friends can be also be challenge (I missed one and had to repeat 14 levels till if found him) but a quick and fun little game.

And so - updating the enjoyment list

Highly Recommended:
Brothers: A tale of two sons
Firewatch
Inside
Thomas Was Alone
Assassins Creed Syndicate
Assassins Creed Syndicate Jack the Ripper DLC
ABZU
Broken Sword
Blackwood Crossing
Virginia

Mildly Diverting:
Toby: The secret mine
Active Soccer 2
Wheels of Aurelia
i,Zombie
Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Syrup Creek
Coffin Dodgers
Bridge Constructor
Beyond Eyes
Her Majesty's Spiffing
Pneuma: Breath of LIfe
The Bunker

Only if you want 1000 GS:
Doodle God
6180 the moon
Cubit
Memories of Him
Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
Three Fourths Home