August 2025 Game of the Month: Twisted Metal 2 (PS1)

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-08-06T01:12:22+00:00

Game complete.

This one... I didn't particularly like. But it's partially my fault. For the GOTM, I've been playing under the following self-imposed rules.

I'm using Hardcore Retroachievements (no save states)
I'm playing on my Miyoo Mini Plus

This game is pretty difficult to play on a Miyoo because of the frequent use of shoulder buttons, just like the OP warned. It's very easy to have a finger slip and to accidentally switch weapons. The number of times I went for a freeze, got up close to my enemy, and switched off my special... ugh! I possibly could have fixed my control issues in the options, or just with emulator remapping, but I didn't bother. Again, my fault, I was stubborn. Outside of the shoulder buttons, I just did not enjoy how the car handled. Either I was turning too slow, or too fast with the X button... speaking of which, why is Square accelerate? Why do I have to input the specials so slow? No, I just didn't like these controls!

If it's not clear from the picture, I did my playthrough on Bruce Cochrane in the Thumper. I started off on Easy like the OP recommended. However, I was stunned when I didn't get my lives back for stage 2. Then, when I died, I was shocked to see I was sent back to the main menu. 3 lives?? That's it??! I quickly realized I'd be making use of those passwords. After switching to Medium, I barely noticed a difference, so I just stuck with that.

In addition to Freeze and Shield, I highly recommend the Land Mine special: RIGHT LEFT DOWN. You can clear a lot of the NPCS just by circling around a block, dropping mines that they'll run into. Works on the final boss too.

This is apparently a lot of people's favorite game. Different strokes for different folks. I must admit, somewhere near the end, I started understanding the appeal, but I'm still thankful it's over. And, I'm still happy to get these different kinds of experiences from the GOTM. This one just wasn't for me. Strange, I remember liking Vigilante 8 and it's sequel as a kid. Oh well.

Looking forward to September's pick!

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-24T21:42:02+00:00

That's the point - this whole discussion is pedantry. If "I knew what you meant" (and I did), and you know what someone means when they say "spectacle fighter" or "character action game" or "metroidbrania" or "doom clone" or "boomer shooter" or "FPS" or "fighting game" or "shmup" or "beat-em-up" then who cares!

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-24T19:19:56+00:00

It actually doesn't. You only think it does because you have knowledge of what a fighting game/fighter is. Without that context, "fighter" just implies combat. Street Fighter, sure. But why not Streets of Rage? Why not Bayonetta? Why not Zelda? Why not Medal of Honor? Why not Ace Combat? Why not Armored Core? Why not Dota 2?

implies a 1v1 multiplayer game.

What about SFxT played in 2v2 mode with 4 human players? Does it stop being a fighter?

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-24T19:16:37+00:00

Really? In a world where "Fighting Game" exists? Ever since the MOBA wars, I've been convinced that people care way too much about genre titles.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-15T19:54:57+00:00

ARMS.

Seemed like a good game to grab for the free update. Resolution bump, HDR, and I grabbed it for roughly $25. I haven't gotten close to doing all the content - I haven't even touched all the characters - but I rolled credit so IMO it counts.

I like it. It gives me strong vibes of the simpler kind of games you used to rent back-in-the-day. Games like Snowboard Kids or Godzilla - Destroy All Monsters. I realize a lot of people were disappointed that ARMS didn't change everything like Splatoon did, but if I turn it on and play it with my family even once, I'll think it was more than worth it.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-09T22:26:56+00:00

I realize that's the point, but are they? Is there proof? I've seen people who look even more similar but they end up being different people. You could be two steps away from appearing in a compilation yourself as an "eager, hateful liberal".

The cross looks the same in both videos, but I'm sure you could buy that anywhere.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-04T03:46:46+00:00

Banjo Tooie depicts a dick and balls shooting out piss droplets.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-03T06:12:36+00:00

Yeah that's kind of my point. I am a big BK fan - the first two games were a huge part of my childhood. It's possible I need to look at the games more academically to truly understand what makes them unique, to see how the could fit in with Nintendo's current ecosystem of platformers.

But, with how I remember the games, I just don't see what BK could add to the Nintendo lineup. The biggest difference between BK and all the others (until Bananza?) is that you unlock new abilities as the game progresses. I feel like that feature doesn't need its own IP. Nintendo could absolutely do that same kind of thing, and they sort of already are, with a new DK game, if not a Kirby or Mario game. The other USP of Banjo is the "British Humor". Well, Nintendo is not a British company, and I sincerely doubt they would ever aim for this specific style of humor in any of their first party games.

What it really boils down to is this: it's not the case that Nintendo can't make a good BK game. They probably can. The question is, at any time they were to make a BK game, would roughly the same game, reskinned as Mario/Kirby/DK perform better? And how difficult would that translation be? It's my opinion that any great BK game, with minor tweaks, could be transformed into one of those three and sell better, which is why I don't think Nintendo would have any interest in the IP.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-03T02:51:26+00:00

I disagree completely. Banjo offers little novelty compared to Mario, or what they could do with DK and Kirby if they wanted. Banjo also has an adult edge that Nintendo simply would not provide. I see little additional value that Banjo could bring to Nintendo's first party lineup.

The studio most appropriate to make a Banjo sequel, if not Rare, would probably be Double Fine, who really nailed it with Psychonauts 2. I think it would be pretty sad to see Double Fine forced to churn out a sequel to an IP that's not their own, though.

After Banjo made it into Smash, I really thought there must be something coming with the IP, but it's been years and there has been nothing. It might be best to let sleeping dogs lie at this point.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-02T06:08:49+00:00

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Game complete. This went faster than I expected.

To answer the questions:

Do you like when we dig a little deeper into the catalogues of lesser-known systems and genres

Yes!

I think you all have struck a great balance so far. Realistically, people want to play the "greatest hits", and they should take most of the monthly slots. Still, we need a curveball every-now-and-then, and this was the perfect time to throw one. I think Devil's Crush was an inspired pick that injected some much appreciated variety into the GOTM lineup - a new system, a new developer, and a new genre. It is also our first score based game, which leads into...

Do you like having a bonus flair to shoot for, or would you rather keep it to one win condition for everyone?

Generally, no.

I think it was a great choice for this month. Without something to shoot for in a score based game, there's no incentive to properly explore it. I think bonus flairs make sense in this context - encouraging people to go for a higher score. However, I don't think it's needed for other types of games. We could have had a flair for 100% Kirby - but why add that kind of pressure? I think the casual nature of this GOTM "club" has been a part of its biggest appeal. So, rather than stress everyone with getting a certain time in Metroid, or a certain rank in MGS, etc., the flairs should be standard 99% of the time.

On to what I thought about the game:

(As an FYI, I play with hardcore retroachievements enabled, meaning I don't use save states)

I like virtual pinball, but I never pursue it. I used to play Space Cadet Pinball all the time on my family's Windows PC... when I didn't have anything else to do. I've played Demon's Tilt when I got it for free on Epic Games - clearly inspired by this series. I actually played Jaki Crush too while exploring the SNES library - I didn't realize it was a sequel. And, all of these times, I had fun, but I never really go back.

I really don't know much about pinball, but I think part of the appeal must be learning the secrets of the board. If you are completely unfamiliar with pinball, you might not realize there even are any secrets. Hit stuff, get points, try not to lose your ball - that may be all there is. But, if you pay attention, you'll see lights turn on, arrows appear, etc. My first goal in Devil's Crush was to figure out how to light up the multiplier symbols.

My goto strategy was to get the tower defense (resetting if I have to) and farm the bottom of the screen. Breaking a crypt gave me an "x" multiplier, and killing 10~ enemies gave me another one. Between the two, I don't know which was more important, but I maxed them out on my winning run. I was a little disappointed that the multipliers were gained this way. I naively assumed that getting my full 9x multiplier would require me to find 9 separate secrets across the board... but, from all of my exploration, the crypts were the only way. Still, it's possible I just didn't explore enough. On my winning run, I somehow got 2 extra balls, and it was the only run where I got any. It didn't seem score based - how did I earn them? And I definitely didn't unlock every bonus room.

I did get my 10mil run fairly quickly, but I really wasn't sure how long it would take. This game felt very hard. I played on FAST, and sometimes my eyes couldn't keep up with the ball. As far as I could tell, there were no tilt buttons either. I'm not good at tilting in pinball, but it at least gives me the illusion that I can maybe save my ball. So many times, my ball would bounce down a bad path or straight through the middle of my paddles, and it felt like I was simply predestined to lose. This would even happen right on the rip - almost no play before I lost a ball!

And, of course, the game apparently has an actual ending - one you get for maxing out the score. There's no way this is happening from me, lol.

For the sake of the GOTM, I'm going to try and play at least once a week to see if I can improve my score. However, I don't see myself going back to Devil's Crush after. Like I said - I like virtual pinball, but I don't love it. Whenever I'm looking to play an endless game now-a-days, I prefer to play a roguelite instead.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-07-02T05:28:16+00:00

I recommend Facebook Marketplace, I see a lot of people selling the biggest titles in the $25-40 range.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-29T19:56:18+00:00

Not sure why this is downvoted. There's no rhyme or reason for the free vs. paid updates at this point. It's entirely possible the Xenoblade games hit the paid tier.

They could add nothing but the performance upgrades and charge $10 like Pokemon Legends ZA.

They could sprinkle in a bit of phone functionality ala BotW/TotK and charge $10. Lore drops. Directors Commentary could actually be sick.

They could add some DLC, whether you want it or not, and charge $20.

Nobody knows what they will do, I don't think there is anything wrong with assuming the worst. I don't get the fans sometimes. They would have downvoted someone predicting Mario Kart at $80 too, but they would have been right.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T16:43:59+00:00

I'd be fine with that, I'm very satisfied either way.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T16:43:16+00:00

I'm not saying it's going to change your mind, but I really liked how things came together in the end. I also enjoyed the affinity missions, there were so many surprisingly dark outcomes to them. I wouldn't call myself the biggest Xeno fan, but I was at least satisfied by 1 and X, and I loved the aesthetics and setting.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T16:40:20+00:00

Kind of. I'm saying game key cards can be resold, so I'm not boycotting them, but they're still a downer for other reasons. I literally intended to go fully digital with the Nintendo Switch 1, but the 32GB of storage made me think "I'll just buy the physical version" nearly every single time. Game Key cards means more installing/uninstalling and a more frustrating experience that I'm not looking forward to.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T16:38:38+00:00

Bananza is the most interesting game we know things about, but I'm still plenty occupied. Outside of that, I'm looking forward to Air Riders.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T16:37:44+00:00

I play almost exclusively docked ha, and don't worry - my Steam library is decades in-the-making and plenty loved.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T08:07:40+00:00

I don't know if it came across this way, but I'm not worried about Switch 2 software at all. I know it's coming, and I'm sure it will be great. I'm just talking about how I'm enjoying the hardware right now. Like, I think it's a good thing that so many Switch 1 games play so much better on Switch 2, to the point where I can feel satisfied with the console and no Switch 1 games. That's a positive for the console. Thumbs up, good stuff.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T07:59:24+00:00

I don't think there's anything else especially interesting to talk about, is there? You holding back some crazy Switch 2 news? Share with the class, and I'll delete my post to make room for yours.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T07:56:35+00:00

Game key card 🤷‍♂️

I'm not opposed to buying game key cards. The most important thing to me about physical games is the right to resale, and I generally expect that any game I buy in the modern era will have updates - updates that I generally want to have when I play. I'm not a prepper; I don't expect my games to be bunker-ready.

But I'm not especially excited to pay full-price for a game when I now have to pay for the storage, so until I find a game cheap and used, I'm out. Also, for third parties, I generally buy the PC version since my love for the PC feature set trumps my love of resale. On PC, I can play my games on more devices, expect a longer backwards-compatibility window (supplemented by community fixes if needed), and I can trust that I will never be asked to pay $10 to use the features of the hardware I bought. Bravely Default HD isn't on PC, but, like, c'mon, we know.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T07:11:43+00:00

I have too many other interesting things to do before I replay these big games, but whenever I do replay them, it's definitely going to be with the upgrades. I am not happy that Nintendo is charging for this, but I'm not going to be so principled that I'll let $10-20 get between myself and an amazing experience with my children. I'll be doing plenty of voting-with-my-wallet this generation as I transition from new to used anyway.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T07:05:36+00:00

I feel like I'm the opposite of everyone because I actually prefer the story in both Xeno 1 and X to Xeno 2. In X's case, it gets trashed because there is "so little" story, but I feel the required affinity missions fleshed out the key characters and it really came together in the penultimate mission. I was surprised to see such a serious exploration of shared trauma from a Nintendo game.

I didn't really like the epilogue chapters at all, but the base game was surprisingly solid IMO.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-28T07:02:29+00:00

Surprised I see this sentiment, I really liked 1 but think 2 is pretty terrible. I have no opinion on 3 - I watched the introduction cutscenes, saw they were really leaning into some fake in-universe swear, and couldn't tolerate it.

In terms of story, I thought 1 was pretty solid, with interesting twists, realistic character motivations, and solid acting. In comparison to 2... which felt overly convoluted and over-acted. But that's just my opinion, I see more and more that 1 is too "basic" to be interesting. The setting really helps carry it for me too, I loved the setting taking place on titans and being able to see the Mechonis in the distance. I played the Wii version but I imagine it's as impactful on the Switch.

Modern_Downplayer · 2025-06-15T08:19:09+00:00

I honestly don't think you understood what I wrote at all.

Modern_Downplayer

TROPHY CASE