12/10/2025 - Monument Valley II Completion.
Current Backlog: 835
Currently Playing: 11

I honestly went into Monument Valley 2 thinking there was no way it could top the first game — but wow, I was wrong.
It’s absolutely stunning. The art is even more colorful, bright, and full of life this time around, and the music? Just beautiful.
It somehow manages to be calming and emotional at the same time, perfectly matching the gentle pace of the game.

The story follows Ro and her journey through motherhood, and while it’s simple, it’s also really touching.
The way it tells a story without many words feels so natural — you just get it through the visuals and movement.
I love how the game captures that feeling of connection and independence in such a subtle way.

Gameplay-wise, it’s the same relaxing, meditative puzzle experience I loved from the first game,
but with new mechanics and environment types to keep things fresh. None of the puzzles were super challenging,
but that’s kind of the charm — it’s not meant to frustrate you. It gives you just enough of a brain tease
to keep you engaged while still feeling peaceful.

It’s the perfect game to unwind with — something you can sink into for an hour or two and just breathe.
I finished it with a big smile and immediately added the third game to my wishlist.
If you enjoyed the first Monument Valley, you’re going to love this one even more.
- Marisa (JK)

I just finished the first one a few weeks ago though I still have the DLC, but I have 2 waiting too, so this is great to hear <3

Daily Challenge - 2025-10-12
Score: 206 / 300
🟦🟦🟪 🟦 = 84 | R | Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
🟧🟩🟩 🟦 = 50 | S | Higurashi When They Cry - Chapter 2: Watanagashi
🟩🟦🟩 🟦 = 72 | P | Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Little update and review because I've been accidentally dead with this blog for the last few weeks. For the most part I haven't had a lot to say.

However, we did finish Trails through Daybreak II so small review: I'm... mixed on it.

It had some good character stuff I'm glad for especially for Renne and Quatre. Quatre, in particular, needed that since the first game just kind of drops that he was a cult victim as well near the end of the game and we never got anything more about that, so this game filling in the blanks there was very needed.

However, I'm really not sold on the plot or antagonists. It felt loosey-goosey. The rewind mechanic ultimately led to things just feeling contrived after a time. Like, look how much our various parties in the series, including this party have dealt with and survived, but oops now there's time travel we can have deadly traps and losses. I really wasn't into the Gardenmaster and it doesn't feel like he even really added anything to the overall plot anyway. And corrupted Dingo copy, eh.

I wasn't into the Märchen Garten though I know some people are. For me it was just an interruption to go dungeon crawl which is not my favourite thing. At least there were some nicer environments in there. I wasn't into any of the minigames and so much ugh for the hacking chests. I didn't get any enjoyment out of doing those.

I've heard there wasn't originally plans for this game to even exist and I feel like it shows. It feels more half-baked in a lot of respects and could have used more time in the oven so to speak. Hell, we didn't even get the usual excuse for restarting our orbments. We just had to for some reason...

It didn't leave me mad in the same way Cold Steel IV did, but definitely came out feeling flat about it. It might be the weakest entry now.

I have heard bits of good things about Beyond the Horizon, so got that to look forward to.

We've dabbled a bit more in the Trails in the Sky remake but not a lot. I've also been playing Dragon Quest XI more because who needs to play unplayed games when you can replay! Those two have been the main things lately.

I am planning to play the Macventure games through the 8-Bit Adventure Anthology this month: Deja Vu, The Uninvited, and Shadowgate. Then follow those up with Beyond Shadowgate (2024). I've watched Shadowgate and Beyond Shadowgate before but I wanna play them myself.

I have a Steam key from September's Humble Bundle for:

WWE 2K25
Spellforce: Conquest of Eo
Grapple Dog

DM me if interested.

Daily Challenge - 2025-10-09
Score: 206 / 300
🟦🟪🟦 🟦 = 81 | R | Fallout: New Vegas - Ultimate Edition
🟥🟧🟥 🟩 = 30 | P | Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
🟪🟪🟪 🟦 = 95 | S | Spilled!

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2025-10-05
Score: 205 / 300
🟪🟪🟪 🟧 = 83 | R | Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
🟧🟧🟧 🟦 = 43 | P | Sly 2: Band of Thieves
🟦🟦🟦 🟦 = 79 | S | SteamWorld Heist

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2025-10-04
Score: 146 / 300
🟩🟪🟦 🟦 = 77 | R | Fable
🟧🟧🟧 🟩 = 39 | P | Mass Effect: Andromeda
🟥🟥🟥 🟦 = 30 | S | Afterimage

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

I'm glad things are looking up for you. Hooray for breaks!

3rd - Trails through Daybreak II
30th - Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+

I think I'm done with Kingdom Hearts for the time being. II was way better than the first two games, but I'm not yet ready to have more of the same, especially since it's supposed to be the best in the series (I think?). Revisiting the same worlds for the third time gets kind of old. The combat was great, naturally, but several bosses felt either cheap, or overreliant on gimmicks (and Xaldin can go fuck himself, he's both).

With Trails, meanwhile, I'm done in the sense there's nothing left to play. I have some issues with the plot structure of Daybreak II, but the intermission is actually incredible, despite its weird premise. In other aspects, it's still the same Daybreak, which was great by itself. I already can't wait for Horizon.

On the final dungeon of Daybreak II I think. It can be hard to tell with Trails sometimes... I've been feeling pretty mixed on it, but yeah the Intermission was great. I am excited for Beyond the Horizon

Monument Valley.
That's it.

I was having trouble really settling into anything for the most part and now it shows. Almost finished a game though and I have some stuff I am planning to play so October will hopefully go better.

I'm up to 14/30 now

Gaming Adjacent challenges
❌01. A book published by Boss Fight Books. - Mega Man 3 (Salvatore Pane) or preferably Day of the Tentacle (Bob Mackey) but I'll need to buy it
✅02. A novel that was (directly) adapted into a videogame. - The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett)
✅03. A book based on a videogame. - King's Quest The Floating Castle (Craig Mills)
❌04-A. A book based on a table-top game (DnD, Warhammer, Shadowrun, Magic, BattleTech, etc)
❌04-B. a Gamebook (e.g. Choose-Your-Own-Adventures, single-player RPGs).
✅05. A non-fiction book about videogames. - 50 Years of Text Games: From Oregon Trail to A.I. Dungeon (Aaron A. Reed)

Regular challenges
✅06. A book published since the start of 2024 - Something in the Waters (Kim M. Watt)
❌07. A "classic" / literary cornerstone. - Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen)
✅08. A short story or novella. - Thornhedge (T. Kingfisher)
❌09. A doorstopper (Approx. 700 pages). - The Master of Heathcrest Hall (Galen Beckett)
❌10. A play
✅11. A graphic novel or manga. - Bone: The Complete Edition (Jeff Smith) ElfQuest (Wendy & Richard Pini)
❌12. A memoir or (auto-)biography.
✅13. A book adapted into a movie / TV series. - The Fellowship of the Ring (audiobook) (Tolkien, narrated by Andy Serkis) - listened to the other two but not Fellowship (tentative) OR Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne)
✅14. A self-published book. - Gobbelino London & a Collision of Catastrophes (Kim M. Watt)
❌15. A book from a genre you don’t normally read.
✅16. A book you have read before but remember nothing about/think you won't like anymore. - Alphabet of Thorn OR The Bell at Sealy Head (Patricia A. McKillip)
❌17. (Reread) a book that was assigned in school.
✅18. A book from an abandoned or currently unfinished series. - Trouble Brewing in Harrogate (Kim M. Watt)
✅19. A “hopeful non-fiction” book. - Relentless Decency (Tod Maffin)
❌20. An animal xenofiction novel. - To Visit the Queen (Diane Duane)
✅21. A novel set in your city/state/country. - The Golden Pine Cone (Greta Guzek)
❌22. A book from Wikipedia’s list of “Most Commonly Challenged Books in the US”.
❌23. A book actually purchased in your local walk-in book shop.
❌24. One of the oldest books in your backlog.
✅25. A book in your mother tongue. - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Heather Fawcett)
❌26. A book about a character engaging with a hobby of yours.
❌27-A. A book set before medieval times.
❌27-B. A book set in the far future. - Record of a Spaceborn Few (Becky Chambers)
❌28-A. The debut book by an up-and-coming author (They must not have any other books out at the moment).
❌28-B. The first book by a famous/pre-established author.
✅29. A book that has at least two of the following words in the title: How Long To Beat. - How To Live with a Calculating Cat (Eric Gurney)
❌30. The Discussion Challenge -

I'm up to 14/30 now

Gaming Adjacent challenges
❌01. A book published by Boss Fight Books. - Mega Man 3 (Salvatore Pane) or preferably Day of the Tentacle (Bob Mackey) but I'll need to buy it
✅02. A novel that was (directly) adapted into a videogame. - The Colour of Magic (Terry Pratchett)
✅03. A book based on a videogame. - King's Quest The Floating Castle (Craig Mills)
❌04-A. A book based on a table-top game (DnD, Warhammer, Shadowrun, Magic, BattleTech, etc)
❌04-B. a Gamebook (e.g. Choose-Your-Own-Adventures, single-player RPGs).
✅05. A non-fiction book about videogames. - 50 Years of Text Games: From Oregon Trail to A.I. Dungeon (Aaron A. Reed)

Regular challenges
✅06. A book published since the start of 2024 - Something in the Waters (Kim M. Watt)
❌07. A "classic" / literary cornerstone. - Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen)
✅08. A short story or novella. - Thornhedge (T. Kingfisher)
❌09. A doorstopper (Approx. 700 pages). - The Master of Heathcrest Hall (Galen Beckett)
❌10. A play
✅11. A graphic novel or manga. - Bone: The Complete Edition (Jeff Smith) ElfQuest (Wendy & Richard Pini)
❌12. A memoir or (auto-)biography.
✅13. A book adapted into a movie / TV series. - The Fellowship of the Ring (audiobook) (Tolkien, narrated by Andy Serkis) - listened to the other two but not Fellowship (tentative) OR Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne)
✅14. A self-published book. - Gobbelino London & a Collision of Catastrophes (Kim M. Watt)
❌15. A book from a genre you don’t normally read.
✅16. A book you have read before but remember nothing about/think you won't like anymore. - Alphabet of Thorn OR The Bell at Sealy Head (Patricia A. McKillip)
❌17. (Reread) a book that was assigned in school.
✅18. A book from an abandoned or currently unfinished series. - Trouble Brewing in Harrogate (Kim M. Watt)
✅19. A “hopeful non-fiction” book. - Relentless Decency (Tod Maffin)
❌20. An animal xenofiction novel. - To Visit the Queen (Diane Duane)
✅21. A novel set in your city/state/country. - The Golden Pine Cone (Greta Guzek)
❌22. A book from Wikipedia’s list of “Most Commonly Challenged Books in the US”.
❌23. A book actually purchased in your local walk-in book shop.
❌24. One of the oldest books in your backlog.
✅25. A book in your mother tongue. - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Heather Fawcett)
❌26. A book about a character engaging with a hobby of yours.
❌27-A. A book set before medieval times.
❌27-B. A book set in the far future. - Record of a Spaceborn Few (Becky Chambers)
❌28-A. The debut book by an up-and-coming author (They must not have any other books out at the moment).
❌28-B. The first book by a famous/pre-established author.
✅29. A book that has at least two of the following words in the title: How Long To Beat. - How To Live with a Calculating Cat (Eric Gurney)
❌30. The Discussion Challenge -

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-30
Score: 107 / 300
⬛🟧🟪 🟩 = 48 | R | Killer Is Dead
⬛⬛⬛ 🟦 = 18 | S | SUPERHOT VR
🟥🟧🟧 🟦 = 41 | A Plague Tale: Innocence

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-28
Score: 256 / 300
🟪🟪🟪 🟦 = 96 | S | Mega Man X
🟩🟪🟪 🟩 = 78 | R | FRAMED Collection
🟪🟪🟪 🟧 = 82 | P | A Little To The Left

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

It likes Mega Man X I guess!

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-27
Score: 234 / 300
🟪🟩🟩 🟦 = 74 | R | Mega Man X
🟪🟩🟦 🟩 = 74 | S | I Expect You To Die
🟦🟪🟦 🟦 = 86 | P | Neon White

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-26
Score: 143 / 300
🟪🟦🟪 🟩 = 83 | R | Far Cry
🟥🟥🟩 🟦 = 39 | Tekken 7
⬛⬛⬛ 🟦 = 21 | S | Botany Manor

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Been half a year since I did this so let's see how this goes again. Beaten but I'll do the three strikes.

Page 1: Portal, Stardew Valley
Page 2: Undertale, Disco Elysium
Page 3: --
Page 4: Persona 4 Golden, Breath of the Wild
Page 5: Monument Valley
Page 6: Gris
Page 7: Samorost 2
Page 8: -- (played part of Tears of the Kingdom though)
Page 9: Spiritfarer
Page 10: Mario Kart World
Page 11: Final Fantasy IX, Super Mario Odyssey, Chrono Trigger
Page 12: -- (played part of Okami)
Page 13: Bastion
Page 14: Journey

Funny to see Monument Valley and Samorost 2. Those Epic freebies have an effect

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-21
Score: 163 / 300
⬛🟥🟪 🟪 = 52 | R | Turmoil
🟪🟩🟪 🟦 = 83 | P | Detective Grimoire
🟥🟥🟧 🟦 = 28 | S | SquareCells

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

In the "Replays" section, I currently have 46 games added, which obviously aren’t being counted here. So, should I understand that maybe we’re talking about adding them in a different way? I haven’t actually replayed a game for a while, nor have I added any.

It’s probably something really silly, but I’m genuinely curious to know which game it is haha

You have Sengoku Basara listed twice for Wii. I'm guessing the first one was meant for PS2? But that would be the one causing you a discrepancy

Do you have something you've replayed? As of very recently The Beat count only counts games once leaving out replays. But the stats page shows all completions including replays. For example my Beat is 245 now but my Completion count is 273 because I have quite a few replays.

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-18
Score: 143 / 300
🟦🟦🟩 🟦 = 72 | P | Final Fantasy VI Advance
⬛⬛⬛ ⬛ = 00 | S | Polarity
🟪🟩🟩 🟦 = 71 | R | Party Hard

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-16
Score: 196 / 300
🟦🟦🟦 🟦 = 78 | S | Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
🟪🟦🟦 🟦 = 83 | R | Torment: Tides of Numenera
⬛🟩🟥 🟦 = 35 | P | Star Wars: Battlefront II

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play

Weekly Game Update Sept 07 – Sept 13

Nintendo Direct this week! There wasn’t too much that personally caught my eye, but I’ve enjoyed some happy vibes around. I am very interested in the new Yoshi game though. It looks so pretty and cute. I’ve always loved the aesthetic of the original Yoshi’s Island and this feels like a similar vibe.

I’ve been in a bit of a gaming slump. I’m not sure what I actually feel like playing. More on that in the currently playing section. It has resulted in reading more. I’ve also just been tired with the tail end of summer heat, wild fire smoke, some family related things including the nephews starting another year of school. So yay managing more reading, but the gaming has suffered.


--

New/Added Games:
Monument Valley 2 (Epic)
Thank you Epic freebies.

--

Started:
Monument Valley (Epic)
Shantae and the Seven Sirens (Steam)

--

Finished:
Monument Valley (base game)
It was made of delightful surprises while somewhat visually bending my mind. I had a couple hang-ups but otherwise not too hard. It was an enjoyable little time and definitely gave me a few “ooo!” moments. I really liked I think it was chapter 8 in particular with the box. That was cool.

--

Currently Playing


Dragon Quest III HD-2D (Switch)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak II (PC, Steam)
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter (Switch)
Shantae and the Seven Sirens (Steam)

I’ve partially reset my playing list to bring it to a fresher start. I’ve moved several things to my Paused tab. Nothing was bad, I’m just having trouble settling on what I want. Trails is a constant and I’ve been at least dipping into DQ III somewhat weekly, so they stay.

Fields of Mistria, Patapon and Ocarina of Time have been very sporadic so they will still show up now and then, but I think I’m going to keep them off the actual playing tab.

So, I’ll see if this kind-of restart will help me figure out what I actually feel like without The Big List nagging at me. For now, I’m trying Shantae and the Seven Sirens because I’ve been kind of feeling like a Shantae game lately and I hadn’t touched that one yet. I’ve played Risky’s Revenge, Pirate’s Curse and ½ Genie Hero in the past. I’ll see how this one goes.

Daily
Sunday: Dragon Quest III
Monday: Trails through Daybreak II
Tuesday: Trails through Daybreak II
Wednesday: Trails through Daybreak II
Thursday: Monument Valley
Friday: Shantae and the Seven Sirens
Saturday: Nothing

--

Progress:

Dragon Quest III HD-2D


The Dying Fire fight sucks! It took me three tries I think, or four. Between the constant summoning of reinforcements and successful whacks, it was rough. I like the consistency of Dragon Quest but if they change the revival spells to just work instead of having a chance of failing, I wouldn’t complain.

After much frustration with that fight I got another orb. I think I have three orbs left.
--

Trails through Daybreak II


We’re part way into Act III and really getting bounced around in time, or whatever is happening. Still not totally clear on it. Now we’re dealing with an issue of people getting their memories rewritten fueled by the power of the geneses, in ways that result in wanting to kill us, or at least Van so far. So we’re trying to deal with that and also regaining the geneses as we go.

It’s amazing how much our various parties have avoided deadly situations until we got time travel. By which I mean it’s been feeling kind of contrived… We’ll see how it all plays out anyway.

--

Shantae and the Seven Sirens


I didn’t play a lot, just around an hour, but I fought my first boss and got some upgrades. I have the newt dash now, so that’s my first transformation. It’s fun so far. Gotta go find all the other half-genies after they went missing.

--

Backlog: 183

It looks so cute and pretty

Daily Challenge - 2025-09-12
Score: 162 / 300
🟩🟪🟩 🟩 = 65 | R | Strider
⬛⬛⬛ 🟩 = 16 | P | Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
🟦🟦🟪 🟩 = 81 | S | Crypt Custodian

Play @ https://howlongtobeat.com/play