Funny indeed :) The world where everybody has the same opinion would be a terrible place ;)

But I do agree that this whole forced marriage episode was badly developed. On my first playthrough I thought it was out of the blue but after replaying the game I realized how this story is connected with other episodes and how your decisions can change some future events. So yeah, eventually you may realize it' part of the story but it should be more transparent from the very beginning.

The 2015 List

Lifeless Planet
Freedom Planet

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Lifeless Planet

Wrote a review on the gamecard for those curious as to my impressions. Short version - worthwhile if you are into these kinds of games, but titles like MIND: Path to Thalamus do it better. (Though in trade, the narration is more natural in this game.)

Hopefully lots :) I now have a PC capable of playing games so I'm working through a long backlog.

Completed so far:

Broken Age Part 1
Rochard

Games Started in 2015:

Just Cause 2
Lego Marvel Superheros
Consortium
Trine
Shank
Diaspora
Elite Dangerous
Ghostbusters The Videogame
(a few more)

Games Started but not finished in 2014:

Divinity Original Sin

21.01.2015 - Half Life 2: Lost Coast
More of a tech-demo than anything else but hey, the last Half Life game I completed was Opposing Force long time ago and the series is in my plan for this year. So, yeah. That's a start :)

Soulstorm - Space Marine run.

Same problems, slightly less headaches since I no longer play the game with the sound on (absolutely zero loss there), learning how to go faster so I can be done with this godsawful game sooner.

If I'm still playing this in February, I'll probably want to scream until I pass out.

3 down, 6 to go.

Gotta say you're more dedicated than I am. When I played through this series a few years ago I just played through the new races in each expansion, and that was more than enough. By the time I got to Soulstorm I was just ready for it to be over. That compounded with the lower quality of Soulstorm to leave me with a really bad impression.

It's mindboggling that Broken Age Part 2 isn't out yet.

I did all of them for Dark Crusade. Now I have no desire whatsoever, for any reason, to play that game again.
I want that with the game I'm playing now as well.

By the sound of things, you are a far more sensible individual.

Also, I agree in regards to being left with a bad taste in your mouth for the series. It started well, but they ended it very, very poorly.
If Sega and Relic ever manage to put out Dawn of War 3, I will be giving it a pass on general principle until I see critical reviews, personal reviews and extended gameplay video.

Agreed. DF messed up big time. Though I've found the documentary well worth the money I backed for.

I've just finished two games: Painkiller and Machinarium. Both yesterday - two games finished on the same day, it never happened before to me. They're worlds apart, obviously, but I enjoyed them both a great deal.
To be honest, I finished PK on the "Insomnia" level. I won't have peace until I manage to unlock and play the "Forest" level and get to see the true ending I saw mentioned in the forum. Yet the prospect of playing certain levels on "Trauma" difficulty isn't very enticing... It will take ages, if I ever make it. At least I was able to see the "Prison" level on Nightmare difficulty.
As for Machinarium: I don't usually play adventure games because I HATE to get stuck, yet I simply had to try this one because I love Amanita style and I had previously enjoyed those little games the have on their website. Actually it could be the only adventure game I've ever bought - and it didn't disappoint. It's wonderful both in the visual and aural department and it has just the right degree of difficulty - I managed to finish it in a couple of weeks without recourse to hints or walkthroughs.
Now I hope I'll be able to finally finish Deus Ex in not too long a time. I would like to make substantial progress in Thief and Splinter Cell as well. Yet I have other games in my backlog that I'd like to pick up again (BG, DN3D, Incubation, Oddworld... I am talking about you!). And I'm starting S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in a few days.

Why in the world are you continuing with a game you're not enjoying? O_o
Great job, I'm impressed! :D I really must get back to Machinarium one day! Since you liked it, you might enjoy Botanicula, too (which I actually DID finish. lol~)

Machinarium was one of the nicest games I played in the last years.

After a bit of struggles with a really bad bug (for the sake of Britannia, keep an eye on Judy!), I have finally finished <span class="bold">Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss</span>.
My first thought? What-a-game!

Ultima Underworld is a classic among the classics, a real timeless masterpiece permanently changed the way we see videogames.
There is no denying it: Arx Fatalis... yes, I'm looking at you and you Elder Scrolls, Bethesda).

Let me start with its single (relatively) weak point: due to the obvious technological limitations of one of the first engines of that kind, the graphic compartment is the only aspect of UU that does not hold up today, consisting in very few different textures and basic sprites for characters. Considering the game was released in 1992, though, it must have been nothing short of impressive for the time!

Putting this aside, the game shows its astonishingly greatness in mechanics and design:
-the maps are compelx, large, full of secrets and even if you can navigate them with no limitations of any kind, only while freely exploring and talking to people you can find clues about how to complete your objectives;
-each level of the Abyss has a certain peculiar theme, and you should excpect plenty of riddles that, despite being relatively easy, will put your intelligence to the test (this game was made back when developers had respect for the intellective capabilities of the players, thankfully);
-you can interact with characters from many diferent races and factions, each one having a certain kind of relation with the others. All of them will define a part of the underlying plot, which progress using the canonic (and imo, unsurpassable in terms of narrative choice in the media due to its full grasping of the meaning of "interactivity") Looking Glass method, a.k.a. "show everything under the player's personal perspective and leave the conclusions to him/her, never tell a tale. That is for books and movies".
Also, everyone can react to your choices and will remember both your heroic acts and your misdeeds.
-the combat and magic systems work perfectly, both being very intuitive and deep enough to satisfy an avid RPG player; my only complaint is that the difficulty is not very high, so spending a few points in "key" abilities can grant your survival very early in the game. Having a good attack and defense score, along with some basic defensive spells (heal, resist blows and cure poison) can sustain you from the first level to the last.
Another small criticism I have to move is that a few talents are completely useless, especially considering that several spells can achieve the same results in a much more efficient (and less expensive) way. For example... why spending ability points on swimming while you can water-walk almost immediately or learning how to pick locks when you can simply smash the doors?
-About the music: Ultima Underworld utilizes dynamic tunes, constantly changing by following your actions! Right now it may seem normal, but it certainly wasn't back then!

To conclude: Ultima Underworld is not simply a game that aged well, but a beacon of real quality that has been rarely surpassed in the whole history of gaming; not only it is still perfectly playable even considering modern standards, but it is also far more complex, deep, immersive and enjoyable than the majority of current titles.
That game was so far ahead of its time that I'm not sure if the industry has caught up the distance, yet.
If UU was remeade in a modern graphic engine with the exact same content, nobody would notice its age and it would be probably considered "revolutionary" by many new players. I'm serious about that.

I can do nothing else but warmly recommend it, as it is one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure to play.

Enebias' Official Seal of Approval! XD
Now stop wasting time reading and go to play it!

P.S. If you are interested, you can check the upcoming Kickstarter project from some among Ultima Underworld's creators, Underworld Ascendant!

Thank you! I thought about Botanicula, then I read the reviews and it seems like it's a different concept than Machinarium, not really a point-and-click adventure or even a "game", properly speaking. It looks gorgeous of course but I'm not so sure. Maybe for a later time.
Well I've just finished another game! "One Late Night". But this is a very very short indie game, and quite simple indeed. Really it's a matter of an evening. So and so, I must say, and technically it didn't work well on my system (a lot of "stuttering" even at low settings), but it has a nice atmosphere and can give a few scares - and it's free after all, so it doesn't hurt to give it a try.
Now my success with Machinarium prompted me to unearth that old Teen Agent that I started some years ago when I joined GOG and then left in frustration after getting stuck early in the game. Seems like I had overlooked some important detail, I finally managed to get past that point and now I hope to make it to the end. I find it a nice little game after all, not one of the greats to be sure, but pleasant to play. It really helps to come back to an adventure game after some time, doesn't it?

Finished LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes yesterday and it was a lot of fun. A bit repetitive maybe but it didn't bother me as I only play ~1 hour each day. Story mode is over and I'll probably play a few hours more in Gotham City to unlock characters before moving on.

Full list here.