Shinobi X, Link Between Worlds, Alan Wake and Castlevania (Image: SEGA)
Last year I made a conscious effort to tackle my video game backlog, which had been steadily growing since the late 1980s.
I started the year with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, followed by the original Castlevania on the NES and Super Castlevania IV for the Super Nintendo.
I finished off a few Boomer Shooters like Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour, HROT and the excellent Powerslave Exhumed, before finally getting around to completing the sequel to Story of Thor (The Legend of Oasis) on the Saturn, as well as Comix Zone and Jedi Fallen Order.
It was at this point that I got addicted to Balatro, before pumping dozens of hours into Hades 2 and then absolutely immersing myself in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
After thoroughly exploring The Land of Shadow and overcoming THAT boss, it was time to get back to my video game backlog, which includes a near 30-year-old SEGA Saturn release that would end up becoming my favourite game of the year.
Before we get to that, however, it was time to play a Legend of Zelda game that remained unfinished in my 3DS library from 2013.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is a direct sequel to Super Nintendo release A Link to the Past – a game that is probably in my top ten of all time.
A Link to the Past is a masterclass in game design, making so much of what in reality is a relatively small game world.
A Link Between Worlds isn’t quite on the same level, but remains an enjoyable adventure with some fresh twists on the classic formula. Making good use of the system’s 3D capabilities, the game features a unique mechanic in which Link blends into walls in order to reach previously inaccessible areas and travel between dimensions. You can also tackle dungeons in any order by renting key items from a merchant. Needless to say, this has some great puzzles, inventive boss battles and a brilliant soundtrack. Here’s hoping it gets a re-release at some point in the future.
Next up was something completely different, as I played through narrative-driven horror game Dreams in the Witch House on Steam.
Dreams in the Witch House is one of my favourite H.P. Lovecraft stories, although I wasn’t sure how well it would work as a video game.
As it turns out, the mixture of point and click adventure, life sim and role-playing works extremely well.
After renting a room at a house in Arkham, university student Walter Gilman begins experiencing strange visions, particularly at night. Players will need to balance day-to-day living (staying warm, fed, attending classes, earning money and maintaining sanity) with a supernatural investigation that’s both eerie and tense. With multiple endings and outcomes, this sub-£10 adventure is great value for money, especially if you’re a fan of Lovecraft’s work.
It was back to Castlevania in the summer, as I spent the next few weeks completing all three GBA games featured in the Castlevania Advance Collection.
It all started with Circle of the Moon, which despite initially feeling a little floaty and loose, ended up being my favourite of three, probably because it was the most challenging.
Harmony of Dissonance was solid if a little generic, while Aria of Sorrow’s futuristic setting, Soul system and slick gameplay meant it gave Circle of the Moon a run for its money.
Coincidentally, Castlevania Dominus Collection launched just after I completed Aria of Sorrow, and just before I wasted a load of money purchasing the DS games from CEX. I fully expect to revisit the series in 2025, so watch this space.
Castlevania Advance Collection (Image: KONAMI)
Clearly in the mood for platformers, I went from Castlevania to Shinobi, specifically Shinobi X for the SEGA Saturn.
Surprisingly, this 30-year-old action platformer would prove to be my favourite game I’ve played in the last 12 months, despite all of its flaws.
The FMV cutscenes are hilariously cheesy, the digitised graphics haven’t held up as well as its sprite-based forebears, and despite a wider selection of defensive moves and enemies, the gameplay somehow doesn’t feel as tight as the older games in the series.
However, no game was more satisfying than Shinobi X, which required enormous amounts of practice and patience in order to perfect.
Stage 5, in particular, was an absolute b*****d. It starts with a minecart section that has no checkpoints, three jumps that you need to time to perfection, and enemies coming at you from every conceivable angle. The next part of the stage sees our hero fend off wave after wave of enemies in an elevator ride from hell. Again, with no checkpoints, limited healing and an absolute ton of ninjas to defeat, this is what spare controllers were made for!
The final stage with its screen-filling missiles that one-hit kill you is no joke, nor is the end boss and his super annoying magical feather attack that does double damage.
Remarkably, when I finally got “gud” enough to complete the game, I managed to do so having only lost two lives during the entire playthrough. It was such a great feeling that even though I played many technically superior games in 2024, Shinobi X is the game I have the fondest memories of. I enjoyed it so much that I’m going to try the US version (Shinobi Legions) to see which game’s music I like better and to see if I can do it without losing any lives.
From old classics to modern blockbusters, I ended the year with a slew of newer releases.
I enjoyed Control when I played it at launch, but never got around to checking out the DLC. I can’t say I was particularly blown away by The Foundation, even though it did have its moments like the Swift Platform mission. Even though I never played Alan Wake, I had much more fun with AWE, particularly the creepy boss fights.
This led me nicely to finally playing Alan Wake, a game that previously couldn’t hold my attention past the opening hour or two.
Not only did I initially dislike Alan Wake as a character, but the contols felt a bit clunky, and the camera constantly switching back to the opposite shoulder was driving me crazy. Also, I get that he’s supposed to be a normal bloke, but this man has absolutely no stamina whatsoever! Get a bloody treadmill or something. Needless to say, I nearly gave up on it again.
Fortunately, I’m glad I persisted, because I ended up really enjoying the game. As long as you stock up on plenty of ammo, save those batteries, and master the dodge ability, the combat feels pretty good. I also like Barry Wheeler, who kind of reminded me of Enzo from Bayonetta.
In between playing a few brand new releases (like Metaphor ReFantazio, Still Wakes the Deep and Astro Bot), I finished 2024 by completing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on PS5.
While my experience was overall a positive one, I did have some issues with the game.
I love the combat, the music and the stunning recreations of classic locations like Kalm, Junon, Nibelheim and Cosmo Canyon. It was like going home. There’s also a slightly weird quality to the game and its characters that I find really charming.
What I could do without is all the filler and forced side content like having to complete mini-games in order to earn a special currency to buy summer clothes and access the beach. Pointless!
Without wishing to enter spoiler territory, other parts felt tacked on and unnecessary (like a certain bit in the Cosmo Canyon area).
And my goodness, can we have less Chadley in the next game!? I found him so annoying that I had to mute my DualSense controller.
In terms of 2025, I’m sure a lot of time will be taken up the Switch 2, as well as GTA 6 and Elden Ring Nightreign.
In terms of the gaming backlog, I’ll definitely find the time to play Alan Wake 2 and at least one more Castlevania game, probably from the Dominus Collection.
My list also includes Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Drakengard and Suikoden, as well as The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass and Shinobi 3DS. I may also do the PS2 Shinobi game, although I just can’t see the 3D presentation matching the 2D originals.
SEGA Saturn beat-em-up Guardian Heroes is something I’ve always been meaning to play, while last year’s Rise of the Golden Idol is near the top of my list because the original is so good.
Any other recommendations are welcome, so please leave a comment below. Likewise, let me know how you’re getting on with your own video game backlog.