Good morning community. For those of you not aware, Destructoid has a forum. Within that forum is a thread, a thread where the Destructoid community routinely posts the games they've completed as they complete them. Then, it's left up to a a solitary user to update the list once a month. This year that job has fallen on Technophile, our resident forum admin. I'm in charge of transferring the list to the community blogs, so those of you who aren't into the forums can see it and possibly become enthused about participating. Do not post your completed games here. Do that in the forum thread.

This transfer is a few days late, and for that I apologize. I was tasked with editing in all of the bold, but beside that, I'm a little on the OCD side. I went in and made the usernames pop out a little bit more, as well as editing in a universal format for the little bonuses you guys tack on, and making sure everything was spelled correctly. I know; I'm crazy.

-Ace829-
Xbox 360
Castle Crashers

-Advocate918-
PS3
Dragon Age: Origins
Bayonetta

-Aerox-
PC
VVVVVVV
Xbox 360
Darksiders

-akeripper-
Xbox 360
Bayonetta - (Very Easy)

-Ali D-
PC
Bioshock
Xbox 360
Fable 2

-Anonymouse-
DS
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Xbox 360
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - (Single Player 100%)

-ArcticFox-
Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2 - (Veteran, Engineer)
Marvel Ultimate Alliance - (Normal)

-Batthink-
PS2
Persona 3: FES - (The Answer)
PS3
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Xbox 360
Battlefield 1943

-Bleach Boy-
Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2
Assassin's Creed 2

-Budboy311-
PS3
Ghostbusters
Dead Space
Xbox 360
The Maw - (All Achievements)
Mass Effect
Modern Warfare 2 - (Hardened)

-Buddha-
DS
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

-Bulkmailer-
DS
Henry Hatsworth
Lunar Knights

-BulletMagnet-
DS
Devilish
Xbox
Voodoo Vince

-BulletTrain-
PC
Mass Effect
Wii
No More Heroes

-Cadtalfryn-
PC
Far Cry 2
Wii
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars

-callmeAlex-
PS1
Final Fantasy VII
PS3
inFAMOUS
Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii

-Ckarasu-
DS
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

-Clockwork Zombie-
PS3
Red Faction: Guerrilla
PixelJunk Shooter
Demon's Souls - (Platinum Trophy)
PSP
Half-Minute Hero

-CUDpwns-
N64
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
PC
Mass Effect
Sega Mega Drive
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii

-Cyber Altair-
PC
VVVVVV

-DaniusKang-
Xbox 360
Braid

-DickMcVengeance-
PS3
inFamous

-digtastik-
PS3
God of War
God of War 2 - (Normal)

-DJP3DRO-
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

-doifX-
DS
Advance Wars: Dark Conflict
GBA
Advance Wars
Advance Wars 2 - (Normal Campaign)
PC
Bionic Commando: Rearmed
Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii

-Drowning Rabbit-
PC
Dawn of War II
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

-eternalplayer2345-
Gameboy
Donkey Kong 64
GBA
Mario vs Donkey Kong

-Fifty Dollar Curse-
Genesis
Batman - (Hard)
Batman Returns
After Burner II - (Normal)
Altered Beast
Master System
Shinobi
NES
Renegade
PS3
Batman: Arkham Asylum - (Normal)
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time - (Hard)
Katamari Forever
SNES
Super Mario World

-FinalGamerAC-
Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed II - (All Achievements)

-Funksy-
PC
Mega Man 7 - (8bit Remake)
Love - (Zero lives lost)
PS3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
God of War
God of War II
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Xbox 360
Bayonetta
Assassin's Creed II
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - (Hit 70)

-FunWithBonus-
PS3
Shatter

-GamesAreArt-
DS
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Wii
Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure

-gatorsax2010-
DS
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
PC
Flood the Chamber
Merry Gear Solid
Karoshi
Karoshi 2.0

-Gibbo-
Xbox 360
GTA IV: Episodes From Liberty City
Assassins Creed II

-Gobun-
Wii
New Super Mario Bros Wii
Xbox 360
Saboteur

-g-off-
PS2
Metal Saga
Wii
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

-Grocerspride-
PS3
Assassin's Creed 2

-Guagloves-
Wii
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Rabbids Go Home
Xbox 360
Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5
Bayonetta - (Normal)
Call of Duty 3
NBA Street Homecourt
Battlefield Bad Company - (Normal)
Wolfenstein
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway

-Guncannon-
SNES
Megaman X2
Megaman X3
Xbox 360
Bayonetta - (Normal, Platinum Trophy)

-Gyrael-
NES
Mega Man 3
Ninja Gaiden
PC
Crysis Warhead - (Normal)
Indigo Prophecy

-IcarusKills-
PC
VVVVVV
Flood the Chamber
Wii
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles
Xbox 360
Shadow Complex
Darksiders
Bayonetta

-jhitcher42-
Xbox 360
Red Faction: Guerrilla - (Normal)
Left 4 Dead 2

-JLanphear-
Xbox 360
Mass Effect

-JohnnyViral-
Xbox 360
Dragon Age: Origins
Assassin's Creed 2

-JT IceFire-
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Xbox 360
Borderlands

-KD_Alpha-
PC
Cave Story
PS1
Final Fantasy II - (Origins)

-Kif-
Xbox 360
Splosion Man
Rez HD

-Krow-
Gameboy
Kirby's Dreamland
PS2
Kingdom Hearts

-LFly-
PS1
Wild Arms 2
PS3
Valkyria Chronicles
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement
Army of Two: 40th Day

-Little McIntosh-
DS
Mario Party DS
iPod
Geared
Wolfenstein RPG
Sega Genesis
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Wii
Klonoa
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Rabbids Go Home
Resident Evil 4

-maniaccat-
Xbox 360
Mass Effect

-MatCD-
Wii
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Xbox 360
Borderlands
Bayonetta - (Normal)

-Mr Kite-
PC
World of Goo
Lucidity
Lumines - (Classic mode, Advanced mode)
PS3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - (Normal)
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction - (Normal)
Xbox 360
Bayonetta - (Normal)
Dead Space - (Medium)

-naia-the-gamer-
PC
Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 1
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 2
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 3
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4
Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 5
Xbox 360
Gyromancer + DLC

-Nebones-
Xbox 360
The Sabotuer - (Normal)
Sealife Safari

-Necro-B.A.B.S.-
Xbox 360
Bayonetta

-Necros-
PS2
We Love Katamari
Xbox 360
Castle Crashers - Normal
Assassin's Creed

-nekobun-
Xbox 360
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition Of The Illuminus - (100% Complete)

-otakunoise-
PS3
Bayonetta - (Hard)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Batman: Arkham Asylum

-ParaParaKing-
NES
Mega Man
Mega Man 2
Mega Man 3
Mega Man 4
Mega Man 5
PC
VVVVVV
PS3
Darksiders - Apocalyptic
inFamous - Platinum Trophy
Flower - 100% Complete
PSP
Darius Burst
Xbox 360
Mass Effect 2

-Phantomile-
DS
Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 - (Normal)
Zoo Keeper - Normal
N64
Banjo-Kazooie
PC
VVVVVV
Wii
Fatal Frame IV (Normal)

-Phones-
PS3
Pixeljunk Shooter

-Poopface Morty-
Xbox 360
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2

-portastad-
Xbox 360
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

-PrestoChango-
PS3
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune

-Projectexodus-
DS
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
PS3
Batman: Arkham Asylum
God of War
God of War II
Wii
New! Super Mario Bros. Wii
Xbox 360
Mass Effect

-psycho soldier-
Xbox 360
Bayonetta

-Quoth-
PC
King's Quest
King's Quest II
Xbox 360
Viking: Battle For Asgard - (Hard)

-Riegel88-
PS3
Assassins Creed 2 - (Platinum Trophy)

-RonBurgandy2010-
PS3
Pixel Junk Shooter
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

-ryu89-
PC
Mass Effect 2
Xbox 360
Shadow Complex

-Samwise-
Xbox 360
Darksiders

-Seven.Tales-
PC
Dragon Age: Origins

-shinigamiDude-
SNES
Super Mario Bros. 3 - (All Stars)
Xbox 360
Call of Duty: World At War - (Veteran)
Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks
SAW
Call of Juarez:Bound in Blood - (Hard)
Star Ocean: The Last Hope

-Sir Legendhead-
Xbox 360
Bayonetta

-slowriot-
PS3
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Fallout 3

-SousedLouse-
PS2
God Hand - (Hard)

-SpeedNut-
Xbox 360
Borderlands

-stay-
PS3
inFamous
Wii
New Super Mario Bro's Wii

-that1dude24-
PC
VVVVVV
Wii
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

-the guy with the hat-
PC
Dragon Age: Origins
Xbox 360
GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Mass Effect

-The Mad March Harris-
PS3
Noby Noby Boy - (Platinum Trophy)
Batman Arkham Asylum - (Normal, 100% completion)

-TheChemist-
Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed
Batman: Arkham Asylum - (Normal)

-TheGoldenDonut-
PS2
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army

-Trebz-
PC
Portal
Wii
No More Heroes - (Mild)

-Triplzer0-
PS3
Borderlands
Darksiders

-tsunamikitsune-
PS1
Jumping Flash

-Vhaius-
Xbox 360
Darksiders - (Easy)
The Saboteur
Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2 - (Normal, Infiltrator)

-WarZombie-
Xbox 360
Borderlands

-wintersocks-
PC
Braid
Half Life 2 - (Garry's Mod)
PSP
Brainpipe
God of War: Chains of Olympus
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Super Stardust Portable - (Arcade Mode)

-Zodiac Eclipse-
PC
World of Goo

-zombielifecoach-
PS3
Darksiders
Xbox 360
Army of Two: The 40th Day

-Zombologist-
Xbox 360
Bionic Commando

251 games completed in January. Nice showing guys.

Earlier today I made a comment on the final post in Destructoid's "50 best games of the decade" feature. It dawned on me that the message I had intended for the editor's, and subsequently Destructoid on a whole to see, might get lost in the fray. Now here I am, bedraggled from a sleep schedule gone haywire and a total lack of anything better to do, writing my first blog in over a month, knowing full well that the potential for flames is possibly through the roof.

The following is an open letter to the Destructoid community, the Destructoid staff, and any gamer who happens to find his way to my small, hardly updated blog.



When the first article went up last Monday, I only glanced through the first ten games. I ignored the comments, as I'm apt to do with any article that might cause controversy, and I quietly left the room. I did the same on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and even Friday. It was until this morning that I actually took the time to the time to read through each article, in order, and the nearly four hundred comments on the last article.

To the staff, thank you. This five part series was a reminder of why I fell in love with Destructoid's editors and its unique way of doing things in the first place. It's clear that this list wasn't an afterthought, that it's something which each and every one of you deliberated, discussed, and mulled over for more than enough time in order to post it with confidence. Though there were moments where my own personal tastes differed from the overall consensus of the staff, I managed to put aside my greivances just long enough to see what this list really was; a reminder of how good we have it as gamers, as well as a reminder that the staff of Destructoid loves video games just as much as we do.

In my experience, most video game sites compile these lists with the sole intention of garnering pageviews and pandering to their audience. Regardless of whether or not Destructoid is guilty of making a post just for profit, this five day series is one of the few "best of" lists I've ever seen Destructoid take part in, adding at least a little validity to the claim that they're not just doing this for the money. I'm going to cut that off there- I don't want to stir up controversy that doesn't exist.



Where am I going with this? Ah, right.

So, Game (A) wasn't in the right spot or Game (B) didn't make the list. It's unfortunate, sure, but that's not the point. Sometimes I think we, as gamers and Dtoiders, forget that the people behind this site are gamers too. To my knowledge, no one person on the staff agrees with each game being in each position on the list, in the same way that no community member agrees with the list entirely. Part of the magic of our hobby is born out of individual experiences, while one person could hate a game, another might absolutely love it.

I've done enough stating the obvious in blog already, the point I want to make is this:

The motto, "For gamers, by gamers", isn't just something that Niero slapped on his business to garner more attention or loyalty, it's the downright truth. After reading through nearly four hundred comments of discussion, rage, and passion, I'm reminded that the people I share bandwith with are a tough crowd to please, newcomers not understanding the utter loyalty some of us oldfags have, and many of the people from BACK IN TEH DAY disillusioned with Destructoid's shift to maintaining a cashflow with the growing site numbers.

I don't really know why I'm writing all this. Perhaps what I'm trying to say is, "As much as things change, they stay the same," who knows. Could be that I'm trying to thank the staff for bucking the industry standard for list posts, maybe I'm trying to explain to you just why I appreciate Destructoid. Maybe I'm just rambling.

It's probably a combination of all three.

THE POINT IS, TL;DR

I love Destructoid, I love its staff, and I love each and every community member who has taken the time to talk to me, get to know me, and loves video games as much as I do. Keep on rockin' baby, long live our robot overlords, etc.

Also, cocks?

P.S. How awesome is my avatar? I mean, seriously.

P.P.S. What the fuck did I just write.

P.P.P.S. There's probably some horrible unintended irony in here.

P.P.P.P.S. Mother 3 is awesome.

"Dear Destructiod, You might be disappointed to hea rthat I played that game Mass Effect tonight and I am very certain that it deserves a score of exactly 3.0, based mostly on the fact that there aren;t nearly enough tits in it and that I wasn't able tyo play as a rabid sabercat with a mean sense of vengeance. I hope you will play it and support Ubisoft. Thamks you and goodnight. Love Ka.za"

[Kauza is too drunk to post this right now, so I'm doing it for him. Enjoy!]

Yeah, I'm writing a blog right now. It should go up sometime in December, if I manage to keep at the pace I'm going now. I'll give you a little tease: It's about video games. Specifically, it's about video games that you probably enjoyed. Was that past tense?

What could I be alluding to? You'll just have to check out my blog again soon to find out!

Destructoid user Togail summed up in a single photograph.



This is my wonderful contribution to the community blogs. Good day, gentlemen.

Majora's Mask is as simple a game as it is a complex one. As heartwarming a game as it is soul crushing. In all my years as a player, I have yet to encounter another experience in media that affects me as deeply as Majora's Mask did, on such a personal and emotional level. The following is a shrine to an overlooked classic, a letter to those who didn't experience it, and my personal take on what I hold up as my favorite video game.

The premise


Anyone who picked up a gaming magazine back in 1999 should understand the premise of Majora's Mask, but assuming you've been in the dark all these years, let me break it down for you. You play as Link, the same Link who slew Ganon back in 1998. The game begins with a scene of our hero riding Epona through the Lost Woods. Those who took the time to read the manual would have known that Link had set off on a quest to find, "A lost and beloved friend", or something to that effect. Most assume that he was seeking Navi.

Events quickly spiral out of control as we are introduced to the antagonist of the game, Majora's Mask. Everything a Zelda fan holds dear is lost, including the familiarity of Link's human form. After having Tatl fill the role that Navi has left open, and a brief foray through a wooded section, we're introduced to Termina and the crisis that has befallen it. The player is then given three days (about 54 minutes of real time), to find a way to the top of the Clock Tower, retrieve his Ocarina, and defeat Majora's Mask.

If the player is successful in this first mission, he will retrieve his Ocarina. Upon playing the Song of Time, you are warped back to the moment you first stepped out into Clock Town, and everything is as it was before the Moon started its final descent. Congratulations, you've been introduced to the main gimmick of Majora's Mask, and given your first taste of the God-like powers you now possess. With your human form restored, you'll set out on a quest to cleanse four temples of the evil that resides within them.

The execution


We've reached a point of divergence. Here is where most fans either become enamored with the world of Termina and explore it in full, or become daunted by the strict limits of the three day cycle and give up in favor something less, well, strange. Those of you who gave up, take note. If you play Majora's Mask the "right" way, you'll find that repetition rarely rears her ugly head.

I'm well aware of how wrong that last sentence sounds to anyone who is a fan of Zelda. Up until Majora's Mask, Zelda games were instantly familiar to returning fans. An emphasis was put on adventuring at your own pace and leisure, and while there was often an impending threat, it had never been pertinent to the point that if you were to stand still, there would be ramifications. Majora's Mask takes that convention and throws it out the window. No more unfocused wandering. You have to have a purpose, a schedule. When you begin a new three day cycle, you'd best have a clear idea of what you wanted to accomplish in mind, lest you waste time and can't accomplish your goals.

Luckily, players are granted a boon in two hidden songs, both involving the Song of Time. If the player plays the Song of Time backwards, time will be slowed to half speed, effectively extending your 54 minute timer to nearly two hours. If you needed to advance ahead to a specific time on a specific day, you can play the Song of Time with double notes, warping you ahead twelve in-game hours. It's not a perfect system, but with these two things in mind, it becomes far more manageable.

Anyone who plays Majora's Mask will have to learn how to use the Song of Time effectively, in all three of its incarnations. A good example of this crops up later in the game, when you set off to complete the fourth and final dungeon. The player is presented with a long and arduous event in the form of Ikana Castle, a dungeon that you are required to complete to complete in order to learn a song that will grant you access to Stone Tower Temple. In the process of gaining access to Ikana Canyon, exploring and conquering Ikana Castle, and first entering Stone Tower Temple, I returned to the first day three times. It's important to note that although I returned to the past three times over this course of events, I did not encounter any repetition. Using strategy, I allotted time to objectives, warped back to the first day, and used the Song of Soaring to return to Ikana Canyon with progress made.

Majora's Mask is not impossible to play, nor is it repetitive. The potential is there, but for gamers of our caliber, it is unlikely.

The little things


This is the crux of my love for Majora's Mask. The little things. Never before had I played a game that put such a strong emphasis on bringing a world to life, replacing a set of static NPC's with ones that lived out their lives from day to day, getting into trouble, and giving off the impression that these minor elements of the story were living, breathing beings.

Instead of waxing on for several thousand words about each individual moment, as it would be very possible for me to do so, I've picked out the two moments that have stuck with me, that I can remember in excruciating detail. One is the story of a Goron who had trouble moving on after death, haunted by the fact that his people were suffering. What stuck me the most is encompassed by a simple, thirty second cutscene. The other takes place over the course of an entire three day cycle and tells a story of unrequited love and unwavering devotion.

The first event involves the spirit of a Goron named Darmani the Third. After Majora cursed Snowhead, the home of the Gorons, with an eternal winter, Darmani took it upon himself to go to Snowhead Peak and cleanse it of the evil that had manifested itself there. The blizzard blew him into the valley below, killing him. Upon arriving at the Mountain Village and obtaining the Eye of Truth, you'll be able to see his spirit. He'll implore you to follow him, and if you comply, you'll be taken to his grave.

It's here that you are presented with his harrowing tale and are forced to heal his wounded soul. A short cinematic plays, something that I cannot imagine will have the same impact on you as it did on an eight-year old me nine years ago. This cutscene marks the first time, and one of the only times, a game has nearly brought me to tears. It could have been my loose understanding of what death was, or it could have held a relevance with me at the time that I can't recall. However, in spite of this, that short scene has stuck with me, and made a huge impact on me as a person. It's the scene that made me reexamine the video games I had previously played, a scene that turned me into a little Reverend Anthony that is consistently expecting more from video games as a medium and is constantly disappointed.



The second event is much more subtle, and far more difficult to pull off. It's also incredibly easy to miss, as the entirety of the sequence is optional. I could have recounted it here in text format, but I've instead decided to embed the crucial moment, the one that made the whole of the experience worth it.

You're given a few minutes of in game time to return to Clock Town, to be there when Kafei meets Anju in a room within the Stock Pot Inn. If you carry out this task, you'll be stuck waiting until there's barely a minute left, nervous that you'll get caught in the destruction that the Moon will soon wrought. Kafei will arrive in the nick of time and you'll be treated to a touching scene, as well as the Couple's Mask, something you can use to get a Piece of Heart. Despite the issue of Majora having turned Kafei into a child and in spite of their impending destruction, they embrace. They utter a final line before you're given the order to flee; it's a line that has stuck with me over any other moment from this game.

"Please take refuge. We are fine here. We shall greet the morning... together."

B'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw.

The time system may have been stressful, and initially hard to grasp, but thanks to moments like these, it was entirely worth it. If you haven't played Majora's Mask, I implore that you give it the fair chance it deserves. If you have played it, but didn't enjoy it, I'd make the suggestion that you return to it with the knowledge of the slowed time flow and with a greater emphasis on managing time. Hell, if you knew about those things, maybe this game just isn't for you. To everyone else, thank you for sticking with me for this long article. I admit that I wrote it more for me than for you.