So I get it out of the way immediately. I haven't had chance to play Yakuza 0/Kiwami or Super Mario Odyssey. All of which had probably been on here.
Also as far as positions go, my trifecta of favorite games this year is Nier/Tekken/Zelda and ordering them would probably shuffle order depending on day.
I'm still reeling from the fact that Nier got a sequel. Let alone from the fact that it turned out so well. Its pretty damn close to a perfect game in my eyes. The combat works, as in it is fun and stylish, but when its Yoko Taro directing there are so many more things than that. I also think its incredibly inventive in the ways its different from the first game. It has a front of being way more bombastic, which stems basically from the entire creation of this thing with the involvement of PlatinumGames and a somewhat larger backing from Square. But the more you get into it, the more personal it also gets.
Its still a budget game, and you can certainly tell. But one of the things I find the absolute best with any games made by Yoko Taro is that he almost uses this as a strength.
Probably a game I will remember all my life, I just have so many characters and moments I just adore from every facet of the game. And it ranges from very small things, like certain NPC's that offer wonderful insight to the world. To the big, grandiose endings that despite being so absurd at times really manages to stick the landing almost every time.
One million articles have been written and published about this game, all I can say is. Its all true, every single word. And then some.
It has been a long time since I felt so captivated and engaged by a world, where the possibilities truly seemed to grow the more I played. Every gameplay system feels thought out, every little thing from the abilities allows for such exploration of the systems. I was never bored once, because I constantly tried to use everything I had in a way that I rarely do in games.
Probably the best fighting game since Street Fighter IV. Coming off what ultimately was a very disappointing Street Fighter V. This game is just such a well made product, and you can feel it through every little detail. The animation and visuals are amazing, the fighting is more fun and tuned to the right mix of accessibility and depth. It finally won me over and I may now be a bigger fan of Tekken than Street Fighter, which is just insane to me.
The greatest looking video game of all time, easily. As an actual game its also just so good. Which stems from how well designed every boss is. Every attack and pattern is carefully crafted with how every weapon or ability in the game functions. Its so cohesive and impressive as a whole. Few games manages to stay cohesive to such a degree.
I really don't want to label certain games more important than others. Though here is an example of taking something hauntingly real and turning it into entertainment. Alone as a piece of mental health awareness Hellblade excels. I have never in any medium been able to so intensely get an insight into how intense psychosis can be. As actual entertainment, its hit and miss. Occasionally it may be too simple for its own good, but as a vehicle to tell a haunting and harrowing story. It all works. Most successfully of all its also monumentally personal in a way very few games tend to be. I felt so much for Senua and it drove me on and on to really defeat her demons.
As someone who has a very deep involvement with the Souls games, this was immediately appealing. Its similar while being unique enough to truly feel like its own game. The loot system is a great change up and the action is just awesome. It has so many options and allows for customization to cater to very specific play styles.
In my Super Mario Odyssey shaped hole that I have inside me, A Hat in Time filled it out admirably. It has amazing movement options that just makes traversing the world fun. Coupled with excellent level design, some of which are truly inventive, and a super cute aesthetic. Its a sure winner in every way.
Delivering exactly upon expectations is certainly not an easy task, and here I got exactly what I wanted. Rising Storm set in Vietnam, admittedly there are some very smart design choices, but at its core its very similar. And I still adore it, and this is a game I played a ton initially, and after that pick it up a few times every month continuously. The new DLC with Australian forces and new maps really were appreciated as well to bring a bit more meat to it. Call it comfort gaming.
And always remember to go home GI.
For as much as I have exactly no interest in real golf. In games it just captivates me to no end. Together with Mario Golf, Everybody's Golf occasionally just occupies my time for a few months. And in this latest one the physics are just better than ever, you feel absolute in control of every chip, put and drive. And its all so satisfying.
Throw Hotline Miami and the best cyberpunk tropes into a blender and you get RUINER. Not all the way there, and somewhere I have constructive thoughts about how most abilities feel designed to be effective, rather than fun. Not to say that being a teleporting fidget spinner of death isn't enticing, its just that as I mastered the game it felt like I found a very effective, but somewhat limited way to succeed.
Ultimately that is all a moot point. When the music kicks in, and the next technologically corrupted bad guy is presented for you to unleash on. It all comes together so well.
