Monthly in a Month #51: The Fantasy Edition, Round 2

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Hello and welcome to the madness!
The challenge is simple: Play and beat any 6 games, starting today, that have been featured in any given Humble Monthly/Choice bundle in one month.

The prize: FINAL FANTASY XVI

Game length does not matter and I'm not looking for 100% achievement runs. So long as you play and beat 6 games, I'm happy. You can go easy mode and play a bunch of 1h games or go crazy and play 6 +30h games. So long as they were in a monthly at a given point, it is all good.

Just post a comment with either screenshots/ achievements showing that you fulfilled the criteria and I'll add you on Steam and give you the link. Feel free to share your thoughts on the games you've played, but it is not required.

FAQ:

Why you doing this?

I hate money. That and I realized I've been subbed to the monthly for over eight years (yes it has been that long, I checked) and it occurred to me that I've barely touched the games I've gotten from it, let alone played them. Figured the same would be true for a few others, so I figured this is a good way to change that. A sensible person would probably unsub in this situation, but please refer to the beginning as to why that will not happen.

I've played the first X minutes of a game, can I pick it for the event?

No. You cannot have any play time or achievements prior to the start of the event. The only exception is idle time from farming Steam cards.

Can I play a MP only game?

No. It needs to have an "end" in order for me to count it as beaten, so it needs to have a campaign/story mode.

If a game was sold as a non-Steam copy in a bundle (origin/uplay/drm-free/etc), can I pick it as a choice if I own a Steam copy?

No. The reason being that those who own a Steam copy would have an extra option that would not be available to everyone who bought the same bundle. If the game was originally sold as a non-Steam copy, but Humble later provided steam keys to everyone who bought the bundle, then the game would be allowed.

Why six games?

The first few monthlies had 6/7 games in them so I went with that.

How long are you going to do this?

Until my credit card statements gives me nightmares.

This event "ends" on December 3rd when the next next HB Choice releases, though the giveaway itself will end the next day. If you manage to finish game number six in between that time, feel free to post, but know that I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to give you the link in time.

Good luck, have fun and stay safe.
Thanks for reading, and no one will blame you for drinking the night away.

List of eligible games: https://barter.vg/bundles/3/3/
https://barter.vg/bundles/3/161/
Credit goes to PapaSmok

View attached image.

2 weeks ago

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2 weeks ago

Game/Bundle	Status	Proof	Comments
BPM: BULLETS PER MINUTE November 2021	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	Achievement: Defeated Nidhogg	--howlongtobeat main: 3,5h-
Jotun: Valhalla Edition January 2017	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 5h-
The Legend of Tianding November 2023	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 5h-
The Norwood Suite Fbruary 2018	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 2h-
Moon Hunters May 2018	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	Abandoned	1,5h
Size matters May 2021	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 1h- Been accepted in the past with 100% achievements

Backups
Project Warlock February 2020	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	Double-edged Sword	-howlongtobeat main: 6,5h-
Genesis Noir May 2022	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 5h-
Omno August 2022	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	The Ascendant. Finished Omno with all areas completed	-howlongtobeat main: 3,5h-
Children of Silentown February 2024	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	Back Home	-howlongtobeat main: ~7h-
A Guidebook of Babel June 2024	Started: ...... / Finished: Not Yet	To be added end achievement	-howlongtobeat main: 8,5h-

Game	Choice	Achievements	Status
1. Five Dates	February 2023	15/15	Completed
2. The Shapeshifting Detective	September 2020	21/21	Completed
3. Figment	September 2018	23/23	Completed
4. The Excavation of Hob's Barrow	April 2024	40/40	Completed
5. GRIS	April 2020	17/17	Completed
6. INSIDE	May 2017	14/14	Completed

Game	Bundle	Achievements	Status
Event[0]	April 2017	12/12	Completed
SUPERHOT	June 2017	15/26	Beaten (Idled 2.8h for cards)
FRAMED Collection	September 2021	18/18	Completed
The Suicide of Rachel Foster	October 2020	11/11	Completed
Stories Untold	September 2017	13/13	Completed
Tales of the Neon Sea	January 2021	58/58	Completed

Game	Monthly	Status	Proof
Void Bastards	Jul. '20	Finished	Sorted
Jusant	Oct. '24	Started	.
Battle Chef Brigade	Sept. '18	Finished	Until Next Time
Suzerain	Apr. '22	Finished	Chapter IV: Checkmate
XCOM: Chimera Squad	Mar. 21	Started	.

Game	Humble Month	Status	Proof
Remnant: From the Ashes	June 2023	Beaten	Dark Awakening
Station to Station	October 2024	Started	-
RUINER	May 2018	Beaten	RUINER
Persona 5 Strikers	October 2024	Unplayed	-
Revita	April 2023	Beaten	Tower Dweller
Oaken	February 2024	Dropped: Wasn't really enjoying it	-
Hero's Hour	March 2023	Unplayed	-

Game Status	Impressions
⭐Gotham Knights / Started on November 7th / Finished✔ on November 12th Gotham Knight (you can tell it's the end game achievement cause it repeats the title of the game :).	Before playing: New PC and Batman: Arkham Trilogy is what returned me into the gaming after about 7 years of "not really feeling like playing". I know that "Gotham Knights" is hated by fans but maybe over-hated? After playing: It's uncooked in many dimensions, but It's without a doubt made after Arkham games image. This alone is enough for me to enjoy it all. Maybe I'm missing something, but where else do people get their Arkham fix, so that they can so readily dismiss this attempt of resurrecting the series?
Turok / Started on November 6th / progress.	Before playing: I never knew Turok in its days. The FPS where you shoot dinosaurs - I thought I dreamed this concept up! Playing: Sometimes playing "true boomer shooters" is like trying to get scared by "The Arrival of a Train". I can enter into "appreciation" mode with relative ease, but the only thing that really engaged me is the maze-like level design, the rest is honestly obsolete.
Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery / not Started / progress.	Before playing: I can feel that it's an artist-driven game where the gameplay is only vehicle to show off art.
⭐Carto / Started on November 13th / Finished✔ on November 22nd The Little Cartographer (end game achievement).	Before playing: I suspect this game to be the opposite to the "Behind the Frame". My bet that the game mechanic will dominate cutesy art. After playing: Mentioned game mechanic is masterfully entwined with a cute narrative! A game that is at peace with itself!
Paradise Lost / Started on November 17th / Finished✔ on November 18th Don't look back (one of the ending achievements, I should have gotten 100% for getting all endings but something bugged. To correct it I would need to replay the game from the very beginning one more time - nooo, thank you :)	Before playing: Previous walking simulator I played for this challenge, "The Suicide of Rachel Foster", left me somewhat disappointed and with blue balls, So here is the next one! Reviewed even worse, this time for being slow and boring! After playing: I can't even criticize this game, clearly it's an amputee of a game, mauled by mismanagement of limited budget, where so much effort was scattered on so many things, and none of them seems to be cooked properly (well, I liked detailed interiors in some places).
SCP: Secret Files / Started on November 22nd / progress.	Before playing: "Plan B" walking simulator, between this and "Paradise Lost" one of them has to be good. Smart thinking!

Game	bundle	achievement	finished?	notes
Planet Of The Eyes	August 2016 Humble Monthly	The End	Yes	Wonky platformer with a few puzzle elements, otherwise "the world wants to kill you, run until the game ends" type of a game.
The Gunk	December 2023 Humble Choice	What's so bad about Wilderness?	Yes	Pretty good! 1-2 parts of the game looks underbaked, otherwise it's a relatively linear story-driven 3D platformer. It felt nice to vacuum up the titular gunk :D
Little Misfortune	November 2020 Humble Choice	Somewhere Else	Yes	It was one of the games? Choice based "point and click" with that's deliberately off-notes at many points. While it has character, I'm not sure I'll remember any of it within 6 months.
If Found	May 2022 Humble Choice	Starting on a new page, or Trans Rights! / Up Mayo!	Yes	I really liked it. Has a unique presentaation that sets it aside form other visual novels. Story of a trans person coming out, how friends and family takes it, and the inevitable(?) fallout that follows, while a more "inner story" parallels the IRL events in Ireland. The existance of The Trevor Project and similar non-profits that deal with the mental health and housing of LGBT people shows that sadly this is not all fiction.
The Norwood Suite	February 2018 Humble Monthly	"We hope you enjoyed your stay..."	Yes	Very, very weird game in a deliberately weird place. Has really, really good exploration and you can find so many secret passages and other weird things.
The Legend of Tianding	November 2023 Humble Choice	The End of an Outlaw	Yes	The crown piece of this month. Absolutely awesome platformer brawler? about the Taiwanese folk hero Liao Tianding. It has a stunning comics presentation, fluid movement and combat, the collectables are period-pieces with lore to it, and it's a joy to play with its Robin Hoodish style and tone. Combat is fun and the bosses have really developed personality, despite the shortish length.

Game	Choice	Status	Achievment
A Plague Tale: Innocence	August 2022 Humble Choice	-	-
Omno	August 2022 Humble Choice	-	-
Chasm	Dec 2019 Humble Monthly	-	-
Beacon Pines	February 2024 Humble Choice	-	-
Curse of the Dead Gods	June 2023 Humble Choice	-	-
Jotun: Valhalla Edition	January 2017 Humble Monthly	-	-

Game	Monthly/Choice	Status	Impression
MO: Astray	May 2020	Completed - Complete Disaster Mode	Beautiful platformer with SF elements and a story that is given to you by bits and pieces here and there. Interesting. 7/10 because two words: unskipable cutscenes.
The Quarry	October 2023	Installed. -	Uhh. 2K launcher, really ?
Little Nightmares	September 2018	Completed - The Lady's Quarters	Very well done; much like Limbo but shorter, and more devious, yet quite charming. Low 8/10
Okami HD	February 2020	Completed - Top Dog	Heard great things about this tittle. Hopefully it's good. - Well, good it is, memorable, that too yes. But flawless, no; too many useless dialogs (skippable though), and slighlty too long. Yet, a solid 8/10; no wonder it's a legendary game.
Sword Legacy Omen	December 2019	Installed - -	-
Fluffy Horde	December 2019	Completed - Year Zero	Mobile game. Fundamentally, it's puzzle game. But, you will need luck to get the three gold medals. Did I like the game enough to get these? No. 4/10 tops, but better than the Kingdoms mind you.

Game title	Achievement	Monthly/Choice Bundle
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Game	Monthly/Choice	Achievements	Status
Life is Strange 2	April 2023	26 of 46	Beaten
RUINER	May 2018	10 of 33	Beaten
Call of the Sea	June 2022	20 of 34	Beaten
Sniper Elite 4	September 2018	0 of 85	Started
Genesis Noir	May 2022	0 of 17	Started
-	-	-	-

Game	Bundle	Status	Proof
The Excavation of Hob's Barrow	April 2024	Beaten	"Abraxas Rex" achievement
Soma	September 2016	Unplayed	TBA
Battle Chef Brigade	September 2018	Beaten	"Until Next Time" achievement
Amnesia: Rebirth	October 2021	Unplayed	TBA
Monster Prom	May 2019	Beaten	"That was unexpected" achievement
Aviary Attorney	March 2018	Unplayed	TBA