Non-Castlevania games I'd played since that last post:
Vampire Survivors is a game many people kept saying I would like because I like Castlevania. Don't do this, people. Sure, it's clearly inspired by Castlevania, but it doesn't play like one. At all. In the slightest. Anyway I tried it out because it was on Game Pass and actually this is a fantastic game. Very addicting, full of dopamine. Got all achievements, then again after the DLC came out. Loved it. Mad that it didn't even get a Best Indie Game nomination at The Game Awards but we all know those are an establishment sham.
Then there was PowerWash Simulator, also played through Game Pass. Like most people, I found it surprisingly fun, relaxing, and satisfying. Very quirky writing too, I enjoyed it. Mostly... I completed it, and ultimately enjoyed it, but there's a level where you clean a caravan and holy shit is it a horribly racist depiction of Romani culture. It didn't need to be! It could've just been someone's caravan! It would've been fine! But no, they go on about how someone (presumably not even a Romani themselves) bought it off a lady in an auction, the lady got mad she was lowballed and tried to curse her, now the owner wants to be a fortune teller in a circus, sends you messages about fortunes and... I fucking hated it. After time away from the game it really just sort of soured me on the whole experience. At least it didn't use the g-slur.
I also played Sonic Frontiers, but I talked about that in its own thread.
That does it for 2022. Meanwhile in 2023, well, I played Order of Ecclesia again, and I liked it more this time, but other than that...
After owning it for three years since it came with my PS4, I finally played The Last of Us. And... eh. I don't think the story was anything special. Joel is a trope. Ellie is the only good character in the game. Other than the infected being cordyceps, it doesn't really set itself apart from other zombie stories because it barely does anything with that concept. Spore areas. I guess. Like the story was fine but it wasn't amazing. And the gameplay... the gameplay is just not it. It's super basic and barely involved. And I sure hope you like moving planks and ladders around. I didn't.
That gave me a taste for survival horror games, which I've barely played any of. I've never played a Resident Evil game before. I own 4! But on Steam, I'm also in the process of building a new PC and would rather wait for that to play any PC games. Good thing I found Resident Evil 2 Remake on sale for $10 on PS4! This and 4 were the ones I was most interested in, and you know what... I loved it! Like, few things freak me out nowadays but goddamn did the atmosphere of this one put me on edge. The setting, the atmosphere, the monsters, it was done so expertly. The story is a little corny yes, but that adds to the charm, and the serious moments do often work. And Mr. X. Goddamn Mr. X. I played Leon's story and then the Claire 2nd run, then set it aside with intents to one day come back for the other route. I need to detox because, again, it manages to get under my skin like few games do.
... good thing the Metroid Prime remaster just dropped out of nowhere today, and it's a perfect detox! Goddamn, is it pretty so far.