It has been a year. Like, on top of all the other craziness going on this year, I decided this was going to be the year I did the "52 games in one year" challenge. To add to that, I also decided I was only going to count games that released in 2020. Now, anyone who has visited any digital games store knows that there are a ton of games that release every single week so despite playing so many games there is still a lot of stuff I missed. I can confidently say that 2020 was one of the strongest years for video games ever, and in the process of finalizing a "best of" list arbitrarily limited to only ten games I felt compelled to also give a shout out to those games that just narrowly missed the cut but were also really damn awesome.

• Heal - A brilliant, brief puzzle game with a lot of variety that even manages to tell a story despite having absolutely no dialogue or text. Played through on iOS. Trailer can be found here.
• Streets of Rage 4 - Played through in coop and had a blast. Art style is beautiful, soundtrack is fire, and the gameplay is surprisingly varied and deep with none of the enemies feeling busted or "cheap". Played on Switch. Trailer can be found here.
• Neversong - A wonderful amalgamation of Edgar Alan Poe, Tim Burton, and Stephen King's It. Hits a wide range of emotions before it is over. Played on Apple Arcade. Trailer can be found here.
• Hades - By far the most addicting game of 2020 if nothing else, I spent more time playing this game than anything else this year. The gameplay loop had me constantly telling myself "just one more run," a dangerous thing when working from home (this game may or may not have caused me to sleep in and miss a meeting at work because I stayed up late playing). Played on Switch. Trailer can be found here.
• Battletoads - Played through in coop, it is tough as hell but not impossible (unlike the original). Tons of variety in gameplay, you are never doing the same thing for long which, as someone with eclectic taste, I loved. Also love the art style and cartoon nature of it all. Played through on Xbox. Trailer can be found here.

If you are interested in seeing the full list of 2020 games I completed in 2020, it can be found by following this link. If you want to read my opinion on video games in previous years, here are links to my previous game of the year blog posts: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011. And now without further ado, I present my ten favorite games of 2020.

Note: Just as was done with the games on the honorable mention list above, I note where I played the game and also provide a trailer for the game so that you can see more if you are interested. :)

10. The Unholy Society

I played through this game on Nintendo Switch. Trailer can be found here.

Well this game is certainly something. A stylish as hell side scrolling adventure game that sees you exercising demons. It is full of dumb pop culture references but isn't obnoxious about it which I appreciated. The combat is a unique real time "find the matching symbols" system that works way better than it has any right to. Then the story comes in and ties it all together. It is stupid and over the top goofy but does so with swagger and confidence, making no apologies as it takes you through the world. Everything about this game felt like it was speaking to me personally and I was gutted when it was over after only about 2 hours. That said, I am always a fan of games that respect your time and leave you wanting more rather than pad things out to add artificial length. I find it uniquely difficult to do justice to this game with words so I recommend you just check out the trailer. What you see is what you get, so if it clicks for you I recommend checking it out.

9. Coffee Talk

I played through this game on PC. Trailer can be found here.

I knew that this was a visual novel going in but it was still a lot less interactive than I was expecting. Outside of making the occasional cup of coffee, there is no player agency. That said, I enjoyed this experience for what it was, and enjoyed reading through all the stories. None of them are particularly deep or profound, but they are sweet none the less and the game is able to set a mood that elevates the whole experience. Coffee Talk does an absolutely fantastic job of creating a real cozy atmosphere with the visuals and lofi soundtrack. The soundtrack is so relaxing and fantastic that it has been on my regular rotation while working from home. The whole experience gives the feeling of a warm drink on a cold rainy night. There is just enough interactivity in the game to keep you immersed in the experience but not so much it becomes overbearing. As I have played through many other story driven games this year that will sometimes force meaningless and tedious interactive sections that detract from the narrative, Coffee Talk stands as a shinning example that sometimes less is more.

8. ITTA

I played through this game on Nintendo Switch. Trailer can be found here.

What if Shadow of the Colossus but with guns and it is a bullet hell game? Normally not my cup of tea but I liked the art style, I heard there were accessibility options to lower the difficulty, and 18 bosses didn't seem like too much of a commitment. It starts out tough, but feels fair which caused me to keep the difficulty unchanged, although having the option was very much appreciated. There is a world to explore and for the most part you can do things in whatever order you want. The story is neat and much like with Hades, player death (which happens often) is contextualized in game which is always fun. There are several upgrades to pick up which make the game exponentially easier, along with various weapons that can be swapped at a moments notice with a weapon select wheel. Special shoutout to the generous dodge roll that keeps you alive through the madness. When bullets fill the screen there is a certain rhythm you fall into as you get into the zone and chip away at the bosses health. It is in those moment that this game provides some true bliss.

7. Wide Ocean Big Jacket

I played through this game on Nintendo Switch. Trailer can be found here.

A wonderful, brief experience that perfectly captures those "golden moments" feelings in life where everything is just going right. You are surrounded by people you care about and everyone is just happy. The world can be a really cynical place but it is these moments that make the rest of the bullshit worth it. And this game is able to encapsulate that wonderfully. As I was playing this I kept bringing myself back to Robert Frost. Yes it is true that "Nothing Gold Can Stay", but that doesn't mean you won't find more gold in the future.

6. Across the Grooves

I played through this game on PC. Trailer can be found here.

An incredibly engrossing visual novel about a record that lets you travel through time. The game completely sucked me immediately and I was constantly eager to unravel the mystery that was set up. Plenty of choices to make along the way with some great tunes to boot. Plus the visuals are top notch, with each image being a wonderful work of art. Tons of replayability with this one, I am a slow reader and it only took me 4 hours to do a run. I am no where near done with this game and am eagerly looking forward to regularly revisiting this one throughout next year.

5. Huntdown

I played through this game on Nintendo Switch. Trailer can be found here.

I love love love me some grindhouse, and Huntdown is able to beautifully capture that aesthetic in every way. I played through the whole thing in coop with my brother and it was an incredible experience from beginning to end. We played through it on hard and while the game was definetly tough, it was also fair. Deaths (and we died a lot of times) were always the result of player error and encouraged us to keep trying. Even the toughest encounters never felt hopeless. I also very much appreciated the generous checkpoint system which removed any frustrations from the game, even as we would inch ever closer to a half hour spent on a single stage. And speaking of stages, each stage ends with a completely unique boss fight and they are all absolutely incredible. This game fires on all cylinders.

4. South of the Circle

I played through this game on Apple Arcade. Trailer can be found here.

A narrative driven game that puts a spin on dialogue choices. This love story set during the cold war is completely brought to life through some amazing voice acting that helps bring the minimalist art style to life. Dialogue choices are selected based on emotions so you are never quite sure exactly what you are going to say, but I got a shaky grasp on it by the end of it. By the end of the experience I'm sure some people will be frustrated with the choice system but I loved what they did with it.

3. Ikenfell

I played through this game on Xbox. Trailer can be found here.

Love the story, soundtrack, and characters. This game does a wonderful job at world building and is not shy about being completely and totally 100% queer. The protagonists are wonderfully developed and the story kept me engaged the whole way through. The tap-timing based combat can be frustrating at times but every once in a while I would fumble terribly and be forced to use items which I never do in these types of games so that is a huge plus. The soundtrack is also incredible, particularly the individual character themes. Listen to the tasty guitar on Rook's Theme and tell me that isn't incredible. As I mentioned earlier, I am a slow reader so this game ended up taking me something like 25 hours to finish, and yet even with that huge time investment this game totally and completely sticks the landing and delivers an incredibly satisfying ending.

2. Wintermoor Tactics Club

I played through this game on PC. Trailer can be found here.

One of the best, most well realized worlds I have ever seen in a game. Wintermoor Tactics Club is able to perfectly set the scene with a cast of characters and art style that completely bring the school of Wintermoor Academy to life in a way most other games never get close to achieving. A large cast of characters and some fantastic dialogue are tied together with a unique art style and killer soundtrack. The story is by far the main hook in this game, and while the main story of a snowball tournament between all the school clubs will always be the same, there are a lot of light choices available that help add that extra personalized touch to the game. The main gameplay is played as a standard tactics game, through the lens of a D&D stand in. The gameplay is usually fairly simple but it is still a fun way to break up the story segments with each encounter getting a meticulously designed unique grid layout (there are no random encounters, a huge plus). The protagonists each bring about a unique gameplay type with lots of customization, and I throughly enjoyed picking out a unique load out for any given mission. Content is also all readily available and in your face. While there are optional side quests available, they are not hidden away via cryptic puzzle solving or finding the right item, which I appreciated since it meant I could enjoy all the content this game had to offer without stressing about missing something. And much like Ikenfell, it completely sticks the landing with the ending and delivers a satisfying conclusion to the adventure.

1. Arrest of a stone Buddha

I played through this game on Switch. Trailer can be found here.

This game fucked me up something fierce for a minute after I first completed it. It is an incredibly bleak game that demanded I grapple with the worldview it presents and articulate a rebuttal, or otherwise accept its view of the world as the truth. And it was tough, because a part of me does feel it. This game sees you playing as a contract killer. Your job is literally to hurt people, and hurt many people you do as you play through the stylized shooting sections to make your escape after killing your target. In between contracts you are free to do what you will in the open world. Killing people clearly pays well because you never have to worry about money in the open world. Buy as many drinks as you want, go to the movies, get a pack of cigarettes, visit a museum, you can always afford it. But however you choose to spend your time, it is never thrilling or fun. It is melancholy as fuck, but the game forces you to engage with this open world in between the shoot out sessions. And the shootout sessions themselves get incredibly repetitive as well, to the point where you ask yourself "what the fuck is the point of any of this?"

Don't play this one if you are in a dark place, it is existential as fuck. That said, if you haven't been there the game might not resonate with you at all. As I was finalizing the order for my game of the year list, the more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that this really is the best representation of how I felt about 2020. Like I'm sure has been the case for many of you reading this, 2020 has been a year that has had me going in and out of funks. And while I am no longer in the deep funk I was in when I first played Arrest of a stone Buddha, the reflections and questions this game made me grapple with went beyond anything else a video game has made me do this year (or ever really). Ultimately, I believe people, connections, and relationships are all important. Many of the other games on this very list do a wonderful job of highlighting the power and beauty of authentic connections. But Arrest of a stone Buddha really drags you into the mud and forces you to reflect on your beliefs. This year alone, in addition to the pandemic brought on by the virus, we have also seen the economic fallout, education crisis, along with the continued rise of fascism and police around the world doubling and tripling down on shitty behavior (seemingly intent to prove that they really are all bastards), all the while the politicians that are supposedly on our side refuse to acknowledge how many of these problems are inherent to capitalism. And yet, in spite of all of that, we persist. We continue to find joy where we can, the biggest fuck you we can give to those who seek to oppress and exploit us. Arrest of a stone Buddha's developer Yeo is clearly a fan of Albert Camus (a copy of The Stranger can be seen in the opening of the game), and so it feels appropriate to end this post with a quote by Camus:

"In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy.

For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back."

- Albert Camus

For those of you who stuck around to the end of this post, thanks. Take care of yourself and those around you, you beautiful, amazing and wonderful people. :)

I meant to put this up a long time ago but never got to it. Now COVID-19 has given me some free time so I figure I might as well post my list now for anyone looking for a good way to pass the time while they are locked indoors. For more movie recommendations, you can see my favorite movies of 2018 here. For TV and videogame recommendations, my favorite TV shows of 2019 can be found here and my favorite games of 2019 can be found here.

I have also included a link to the YouTube trailer for each of these movies at the end of my writeup.

10. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

For most of the movie's runtime I had no idea what the hell was going on or where the story was going but eventually it clicks as I grew to love the protagonists. Adam Driver does a great job of playing the role of a character trying to find his balance with the audience as all sorts of weird shit happens. A few of the scenes could have been paced better and for a movie this self aware and off-kilter the casual sexism and tropey-ness of the female characters is disappointing. Even with those issues, there is still a lot of heart in this story that demands you question what sanity, dignity and normal means in a capitalistic world of disgusting inequality and immorality. Trailer can be found here.

9. In The Tall Grass

This is not a good movie by any definition, but damn if I didn't find it entertaining as hell. It is a straight to Netflix adaptation of a Stephen King story and they were clearly given a tiny budget to make this movie. But it is a really fun bit of nonsense to help pass the time. If you are unfamiliar with the story it will take a bit before you start to get a grasp of what is happening but the gimmick is enough to carry the movie through its runtime. Trailer can be found here.

8. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

This one did not immediately click for me. I came in expecting a lot more in your face Tarantino craziness but what I got instead was a much more subdued, meandering film that takes it's time following some characters. The real life history of what happened to Sharon Tate is pretty much the only thing providing this movie any tension. That said, it wasn't until after the first viewing, once I was able to see how things wrapped up, that I was able to really appreciate the whole package. I realize that probably doesn't make much sense, but I am struggling to write out my thoughts without delving into spoilers. Trailer can be found here.

7. Climax

This is a terrifying movie that is not for everyone. A unique kind of terrifying that can't be accurately described with words. The premise of it is that people get drugged and chaos ensues. I hated it but also I couldn't stop watching. Absolutely horrifying, nausating, and headache inducing, but also so, so mesmerizing. Fuck this movie. Trailer can be found here.

6. Hustlers

I only went to see this movie because of Lili Reinhart and while I was disappointed she did not get more screen time, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film overall. A damn fine crime film that can hold its own with the best of em in the genre. It moves at a solid pace, has a solid soundtrack and some beautiful tracking shots. Trailer can be found here.

5. Ford v Ferrari

The theater was filled with fathers and sons when I went to go see the and I was no exception. Went with my dad to watch the new car movie and it was incredibly well done. Christian Bale, Matt Damon, and Jon Berenthal all do an amazing job playing legends in the automotive industry. Ford comes across absolutely terribly in this movie and are basically the villains, so much so that I was surprised that it was able to move forward as is. And the race scenes are all absolutely ace of course. Trailer can be found here.

4. Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Y'all, this movie is actually really really good. I felt the need to support this movie on principal, because no one else is throwing a budget at a latinx led film. I did not walk into the theater expecting much of anything but walked out having experienced likely the best adventure movie since The Mummy Returns. No "good for a kid's movie" qualifiers needed, this movie is just straight up great. Good hearted and defiantly positive and enthusiastic without being obnoxious about it. Trailer can be found here.

3. Us

Man, this movie is something else. Even now, more than a year later, I don't think I've been able to fully wrap my head around it. This movie is riddled with foreshadowing and it also feels meticulously crafted even though not everything is explained. Jordan Peele's first movie, Get Out, was a much different animal. It was straightforward and spoon feed the story and even the themes in an easily digestible way. Us on the other hand decides not to explicitly answer all questions but seems to provide just enough information taunting you to figure it out. Peele is flexing with this movie and I am here for it.

There is commentary on societies undesirables, the question of "good vs bad," and whether people have a responsibility to help their fellow man. And it raises these questions in such a way as to not hint at what Peele thinks is right or wrong. And that is just the stuff that resonated with me. I have seen so many other people discuss their own interpretations and themes that I completely missed but also seem totally valid. Us is so clearly focused on larger commentary that arguing about the logic of the specific plot feels ridiculous. It would be like arguing the logic of Aesop's Fables or an episode of The Twilight Zone. Like, that's not the point. Don't miss the forrest for the trees when watching this one or you might miss out on one of the most brilliant films ever made. Trailer can be found here.

2. It Chapter 2

Like most people, I absolutely loved what they did with the 2017 remake of It. Unlike most people, I feel like It Chapter 2 managed to completely capture that same lightning in a bottle again. I was disappointed when I went online after watching this movie and saw so many people down on it. The casting in particular is spectacular, the characters feel like grown up versions of their old selves. I loved getting the chance to revisit this world one final time. Trailer can be found here.

1. The Lighthouse

This movie is an experience. A beautifully stylized descent into madness led by two of the greatest performances I have ever seen. Willam Dafoe always brings an intensity to everything but I was surprised to see Robert Pattinson able to hold his own with him in scene after scene. The movie has a real Lovecraftian vibe that was totally my aesthetic. Trailer can be found here.

It is time for my obligatory GotY list. This particular year was pretty alright. I seem to be pretty hot or cold on video games depending on the year but this one was sufficiently satisfactory. I played a total of 22 video games this year, although only ten of them really stood out in 2019. You can read my thoughts on the other games I played that are not listed by following this link. If you are interested in reading my opinion on video games in previous years, here are links to my previous game of the year blog posts: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

Note: At the end of my brief write up for each game I state which system I played the game on and provide a link to the game's trailer so that you can see what the game actually looks like in motion as many are not done justice in still images.

10. Gunman Clive HD Collection

It has a simple art style that complements its simple gameplay. Light platforming as you shoot enemies, occasionally picking up power ups. I absolutely loved the first game and actually felt it was a stronger game than the second, which added a lot more elements that didn't all end up landing. The different playable characters is a nice touch and encouraged me to run through these incredibly short games multiple times to get a different challenge.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

9. Witcheye

I am not entirely sure how to describe this game. I guess it is a platformer, although not in the traditional sense. You play as an eyeball and navigate around enviornments, defeating enemies and battle bosses. The art is absolutely beautiful and the soundtrack is solid too. I'm not usually a fan of touch controls but this one feels fine. Simple to play and provides just the right amount of challenge.

I played through this game on an iPhone SE. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

8. Resident Evil 2

I am a huge fan of action Resident Evil (RE4-6) and was incredibly disappointed with the direction of RE7. RE2 feels like a compromise to satisfy everyone. I appreciated the familiar camera and controls, and the small environments that you get to know quite well as you repeatedly explore them, and how zombies who died would stay dead and those who didn't would stay alive until you dealt with them. Would I have preferred an actual, action-heavy followup to RE6? Absolutely. But this was nice too. Also, Claire's campaign > Leon's campaign.

I played through this game on the Xbox One X. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

7. Hell is Other Demons

A bullet hell arena shooter where you play as a demon killing other demons in short levels that can all be finished without ever firing a single shot. If you do want to fight back a bit more aggressively there are a slew of upgrades to purchase and an endless survival mode if you want to go for a high score, which I did indulge in on more than one occasion. The controls are tight and the simple art style and soundtrack are wonderful.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

6. Katana Zero

I was incredibly surprised by how story focused this was. I came looking for side scrolling Hotline Miami but the story ended up elevating Katana Zero above and beyond Hotline. Stylish as hell with a killer soundtrack to boot.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

5. Double Cross

Really fun platformer that scratched the right itch at the right time for me. You play as a RIFT agent (basically the space FBI) and levels play out but jumping/avoiding falls, using your gravity beam grappling hook, and fighting enemies with your hands and feet. A straightforward level selecter allows you to play through three worlds in any order you want. There is a light investigation story that takes place in the hub world where you select your levels. I found the story charming and entertaining, and the dialogue paths are by and large optional and never overstay their welcome. The collectibles are never too hard to find and the platforming likewise strikes a good balance where it never feels impossible nor does it feel brainless.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

4. Gato Roboto

An adorable and very short metroidvania. I absolutely loved the level designs and gameplay variety and was bummed when I reached the end. I am not a cat person but the smol pixelated Kiki the cat and the hilarious story provided one of my favorite experiences of this year.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

3. Mechstermination Force

Contra of the Colossus. That is every bit as awesome as it sounds. Fight giant mech bosses by climbing up them. No other fluff gameplay in-between, just all bosses, all the time. Played through the whole thing in co-op and loved every minute. Some levels a bit more challenging than others but it never gets frustratingly hard nor does it ever feel unfair.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

2. Overwhelm

I love a good horror aesthetic but I also love me some action. Overwhelm does a beautiful job of making an incredible horror experience with a minimalist pixel art style where the screen gets progressively darker and less visible every time you lose a life. One hit makes you lose a life, lose all your lives and it is game over, with you having to restart from the beginning. The map remains constant and the bosses are always in the same place, however, the normal enemies in the world are randomly placed. The twist in this game is that every time you kill a boss, the normal enemies get the bosses power (spitting acid or flying faster), making the game harder as you progress and making you carefully consider what order you want to tackle them in. A full run is pretty dang short and while the difficulty quickly ramps up as you reach the end of a run the game is pretty forgiving of the occasional dumb mistake. The coop mode is works perfectly and I had a blast playing it both alone and with my brother.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

1. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

If you are not a fan of Marvel superheroes I can't imagine this game will do anything for you, but if you are, there is a lot to love with Ultimate Alliance 3. This was my video game junk food of 2019. A game to just let yourself sink into and mash away at enemies. The roster is solidly diverse and the gameplay loop is fun. Using your superpowers to go through hordes of enemies has not grown old in the 80+ hours I spent with the game in 2019. There is a ton of content here, so much so that I still haven't completed all the missions and I am still about 60+ levels away from the level cap on my strongest character. I have been playing it almost exclusively in local coop with my brother and it has been a lot of fun to continuously revisit it since it first released.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

2019 was yet another incredibly strong year for TV. You know things are going well when 7/10 of the shows on this list were new for 2019.

Special shout out in particular to Big Mouth, which continues to be hilarious, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which continues to be campy fun. And of course to Stranger Things. The "Scooby Doo hijinks set in the 80s" aesthetic continues awesome, but Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) in particular had the best hair of any TV show in 2019, and that deserves some recognition. This was a damn strong year though and at some point I have to make cuts to reach the arbitrary list of ten and so those were the ones that ended up just barely not making the cut. I'd also like to mention Riverdale, which I was loving last year but officially lost me in 2019 with its continued stupidity. Honestly though, I think it was the announcement of a Riverdale spinoff that officially killed it for me. All the spin off bloat, combined with 20+ episode seasons, is what made me drop the Arrowverse CW shows. It is just too much of a time commitment, especially when there is so much other great stuff to watch.

I would also like to say RIP to all the Marvel tv stuff getting shit canned in the lead up to the "official" Marvel TV shows coming starting next year. It bummed me out to the point where I still haven't watched the latest seasons of Punisher, Jessica Jones, Agents of Shield, Cloak and Dagger, or Runaways.

At the end of each write up below is a link to watch the show's trailer on Youtube in case you had never heard of the show and would like to see more.

10. On My Block

The first season of On My Block completely blew me away. It was my favorite show last year. Season 2 was still really good, and in a lot of ways I think it had higher highs, but the tonal whiplash is starting to get to me. It feels like two separate, equally good shows. One is an over the top goofy comedy that has (magical?) gnomes, while the other is an LA gang drama. It is all coming of age goodness and there is plenty of stuff that falls in-between but the constantly shifting tone is a bit much and I want to see them do a better job at balancing it next season. Also they need to knock it off with the damn cliffhanger endings! Link to trailer here.

9. Preacher

Season 4 brought about the final season, and while I am bummed to see it go, I am happy that we at least got to see an actual proper ending and send off to this series. AMC was constantly skimping on the budget since the series first premiered and unfortunately this final season was no exception. It sucks because you could not have asked for a better cast and yet it was painfully apparent that they had very little money to play with. There were still a lot of laughs throughout and the script and performances carry the show through to a satisfying ending. If you have not watched the show before, feel free to binge through it now knowing you will get a complete story. Link to trailer here.

8. Russian Doll

I have always enjoyed "stuck in a time loop" media, whether that be a book like "Help! I'm Trapped in the First Day of Summer School, or a video game like The Sexy Brutale, and Russian Doll is no exception. The main character gets some interesting deaths, and the plot actually moves at a solid pace despite constantly reseting the day. It is hard to say more without spoilers but suffice to say that it does a lot with its premise and has some excellent character development. Link to trailer here.

7. The Boys

The Boys feels like what Zach Snyder has repeatedly been trying to make with his shitty comic adaptations. A "what if superheroes were real and gritty and they were also assholes" story. The "heroes" are all incredibly charismatic and hammy pieces of shit that you love to root against, and it is nice to see a super hero property where the protagonists actually feel like underdogs. Link to trailer here.

6. Seis Manos

Seeing la Raza represented in an anime brought me a ton of joy and was something I immediately knew I had to watch. I ended up watching the Spanish dub (because why the hell would I want to see people in Mexico speaking in English?) and thought it was fantastic. Some beautiful animation (this is from the Castlevania people) and some Santa Muerte supernatural goodness all come together to create a really spectacular ride that combines many different influences to create a tightly packed 7 episode series. There is an eighth episode that comes after it seems that everything was resolved that goes full anime bullshit in order to extend the series and starts introducing a lot of new shit from out of nowhere which puts a damper on an otherwise really awesome series. Link to English trailer here. Spanish trailer can be found here.

5. Too Old To Die Young

Did you ever watch the movie Drive, or any other Nicolas Winding Refn film, and think "I really enjoy the style but this is moving at way too fast a pace for me." If so, then Too Old To Die Young is going to be the perfect show for you. It is a hyper stylish, hyper violent show that moves at the slowest snail pace I have ever seen anything move at. You definitely need to be in the right mood to watch this and just let yourself melt into the experience. The average episode is about 90 minutes long so each episode is like its own movie. Miles Teller does a fantastic job with his character that says very little, and I also appreciated how much Spanish is used in the series. Like, the entire second episode is set in Mexico and is entirely in Spanish. Don't go in expecting an actual ending, it seems like they just ran out of money before they could finish the last episode. Just accept that you are along for a ride filled with beautiful visuals and an incredible soundtrack. Link to trailer here.

4. Castle Rock

The first season of Castle Rock was a giant mystery that kept you guessing throughout the entire series. The second season in this semi-anthology series is much more straight forward with its plot and easier to follow, even as their are some twists and turns throughout. Taking place in both the towns of Castle Rock and Jerusalem's Lot, season 2 does a great job of introducing and fleshing out its protagonists and making the world feel more fully realized. The "protagonists" are all much more interesting than those in the first season, although I felt the main threat was a little undercooked. If you are a fan of Steven King style supernatural spookiness then this is more of that. Link to trailer here.

3. Good Omens

I have enjoyed every Neil Gaiman book I ever read, although I never read Good Omens. Hearing that he was hands on for this show gave me great hope, especially seeing as how they were adapting the entire book in the single season. Good Omens does not disappoint, providing a wonderful story of friendship with angels, demons, and Armageddon as the backdrop. David Tennant and Michael Sheen completely carry this with their chemistry and charisma. Link to trailer here.

2. The Umbrella Academy

I have always loved superhero goodness, but like a lot of people I have been itching for something different than what Marvel has been offering. The Umbrella Academy (and The Boys) have shown that there are other interesting stories to tell involving super powers. The characters, both protagonists and antagonists alike, are all incredibly inept, and it is fun to see them all fumble around trying to push their agenda forward. Link to trailer here.

1. His Dark Materials

I never had any interest in this property, and only watched it because I saw that James McAvoy was in it as I was browsing HBO Go to watch Last Week Tonight. I gave it a shot and ended up getting completely sucked in. His Dark Materials is set in a fantastical world where everyone is linked with a spirit animal that can talk, witches, a race of intelligent bears, etc. And yet it all still feels very grounded. It is a whimsical adventure that sees the protagonist Lyra, played brilliantly by Dafne Keen, traveling to the north. It perfectly captures that sense of adventure that I have not felt since I started One Piece. The characters are constantly moving and every episode has a new location being explored. The quality of the CG is also top notch, with animals talking and fighting but never looking out of place. Link to trailer here.

In 2018 I saw more movies in theaters that in any other year in my life. And even so, there are a ton of big movies that I missed. I originally postponed making this thread so that I would have the chance to watch more 2018 movies and have a more complete sense of the year. But then life ended up being busy and I didn't actually get the chance to catch up on my backlog. At this point we are so far into 2019 that I am just going to post my 2018 list now before it becomes even less timely.

I saw a total of 42 movies last year that released in 2018 (in the US at least). I ranked them all on Leterboxd and wrote something up for almost all of them too, so if there is a 2018 movie you liked that is not on this list, feel free to check out the complete list to see my thoughts on the movie: https://letterboxd.com/darthorange/list/2018-movies/

10. The Vanishing of Sidney Hall

A movie that does nothing new or even particularly surprising, but is executed very well. The film following the titular Sydney Hall at three distinct points in his life, and just sort of meanders around while teasing some mystery. The three plots all ramp up simultaneously and build to three endings that answer pretty much every question raised. Despite the slow start, the narrative gimmick holds up and kept me engaged throughout. I usually don't read reviews until after watching a movie and I was surprised to see just how much this one was hated by critics. I enjoyed it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also, Kyle Chandler does an absolutely spot on Columbo impersonation, if they ever end up rebooting that series they need to get him for that role. Trailer can be found here.

9. Operation Finale

Some absolutely incredible performances by Oscar Issac and Ben Kingsley. Like, best of performances of the year incredible. The first half of the film a heist movie that doesn't quite embrace those elements as much as I would have liked but the second half is an incredibly slow character piece between Issac and Kingsley that lesser actors would have struggled to make as engaging as those two do. Trailer can be found here.

8. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

I am a sucker for anthologies and westerns, and The Coen's did a fantastic job with the six stories in this collection. There was not a single short I did not enjoy, and each is well acted and has the Coen's trademark dark comedy. The stories are all told from the perspective of white people so I understand why the depiction of the Native Americans is horrible, but it is disappointing that they didn't bother trying to subvert that at all, instead just settling for a portrayal that wouldn't be out of place in a John Wayne movie. Trailer can be found here.

7. Blindspotting

It is clearly evident that the stars/writers have a background in theater and spoken word and I really love the way they incorporated that into this film. It is an incredibly entertaining and hilarious movie that manages to hit on important topics including race, gentrification, and more but it does so with zero subtlety. Given the state of the world now days, and the mindset many people have, maybe this film's level of bluntness is needed for a large section of the population. For me though, I kept expecting Keenen Wayans to appear throughout the film and shout "message!" Trailer can be found here.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

We finally got ourselves a Latinx superhero and they knocked it out of the park with this one. Like, superhero movies are traditionally hyped to hell and back but this one is the real deal. It has a ton of heart and a diverse cast that works because it stays focused on Miles even as they throw out multiple other heroes and villains. The visuals and art style are absolutely gorgeous. Even if you are feeling superheroed out, this one is still worth a watch. Trailer can be found here.

5. Searching

A movie told entirely though computer and phone screens should not work this well. I don't think I have been this invested in a story in a long time. As a kid I used to love watching Scooby-Doo and trying to guess who the monster was. Watching this movie gave me that same feeling as I was trying to figure out the truth and look for clues along with Cho's character. It was an incredibly fun experience that will undoubtedly be less fun upon repeat views but I'm ok with that. John Cho delivers his best performance yet and smart use of the camera and score prevent the gimmick from feeling stale. Trailer can be found here.

4. A Star is Born

It is totally Oscar-baity and predictable and brazenly emotionally manipulative but I still absolutely loved it because the execution is so well done. Gaga and Cooper both hold their own and it never feels like one outshines the other. The concert scenes and musical performances are all absolutely fantastic. Trailer can be found here.

3. A Thousand Junkies

A movie about three drug addicts trying to buy drugs in Los Angeles. It is filmed as a comedy and never strays from that tone while still being incredibly tragic. The characters are hilarious, their friendship feels genuine and I was completely engrossed in their quest. It tackles serious subject matter but balances it with a great script that brings laughs without ever making light of the situation or having any over the top goofiness. Trailer can be found here.

2. Bad Times at the El Royale

The movie is a lot slower than I expected, with things happening at casual pace until suddenly everything gets turned to 11 for a second, then it slows way back down. Movie goes from 0-100-0 a handful of times, and it kept me in a constant state of tension and suspense as I wondered when things were going to ratchet back up. The performances by everyone were great and the film was shot beautifully. Easily the most stylish movie of the year. And that soundtrack? Fire. This movie is clear proof that Cabin in the Woods was not a fluke and I can't wait to see what Drew Goddard comes out with next. Trailer can be found here.

1. Annihilation

Horror is always going to be super subjective but damn if this isn't one of the most horrifying horror movies I have ever seen. Lovecraftian movies never get this kind of budget so to see them go all in with the visuals was a real treat. They manage to create a world that is simultaneously beautiful and horrifying. The score gave me a haunting sense of dread I have not felt since I saw Under the Skin. Trailer can be found here.

I have found that as the years go on I enjoy watching TV way more than I do playing videogames. I do think that a large part of it is the initial investment needed to figure out a new game. Tutorials can go on for way too long and if a story is boring and the gameplay is anything less than spectacular then I just feel like I am wasting my time. TV on the other hand has such a low barrier to entry (just watch the screen) that I am left vastly preferring to just tune into a show after work than bother with a game that might take a half hour or more for me to get into the grove of.

Anyway, point is, if you are not like me and still very much enjoy playing games as your primary hobby, you may have missed some of these shows. These were my favorite shows of 2018, with a link to a trailer for the show if you still aren't quite convinced and would like to see more.

10. The Haunting of Hill House

A beautifully shot series that does a fantastic job of juggling seven protagonists across ten episodes. Dedicating a single episode to each of the kids for the first half was some genius storytelling that gets you really invested in each family member. There are some absolutely beautifully haunting visuals that make me wish they had leaned into the horror a bit more and done more down right spooky stuff. The focus of the story begins and ends with the family and that is what keeps it engaging throughout though so it is hard to complain. Episode 6 is literally just the director flexing his skills and it is incredible. Trailer here.

9. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Chilling Adventures is at its best when it is embracing the wacky satanic witch stuff. The characters and lore that they have set up are all wildly entertaining and I would have loved to have seen more mundane witch school stuff. It really really strange in that it goes dark but always has a bubbly tone that keeps it feeling light goofy. This show is also what got me to try out Riverdale (thanks to a few minor shoutouts given within the show) which gives it some bonus points in my book. Trailer here.

8. American Vandal

I was positive there was no way they would be able to make this stupid premise work twice and yet they somehow did it. A brilliant commentary on the criminal justice system and society in general all delivered in a hilarious mockumentary format. A story about poop has no right to be this smart and thought provoking. Trailer here.

7. Riverdale

Is this the most amazing show ever? Is this the stupidest show of all time? The answer is yes. I binged through this show after really enjoying Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and have to say I was not expecting what I got. Riverdale makes a show about a teenage witch look grounded. As far as episodes that released in 2018, they wrapped up a serial killer mystery that had already gone far off the deep end but season 3? We are deep in the Mariana Trench now and I have no idea where the hell this is going to end up. I will say that this occult monster shit they are fucking with in season 3 is totally my aesthetic. Even Scooby Doo never got this stupid. Trailer here.

6. Castle Rock

An intriguing and at times incredibly creepy and disturbing mystery that kept me guessing throughout. Every time it seemed like a question was getting answered two more would take its place until by the end I was left scratching my head wondering what the hell I just spent 10 hours watching. It has got that Stephen King flavor but still feels original. Trailer here.

5. Devilman Crybaby

A brief 10 episode anime about a kid who gets possessed by a demon and fights other people who get possessed by demons. It goes from 0-100 real quick. I appreciated the show's lean approach to storytelling and not wasting any time to get to the ending. Those last few episodes got me shook. Also shout out to the incredible dub, always nice to have the option to not have to read subtitles if I don't have to. Trailer here.

4. American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Fuck Infinity War, this was the real crossover of the year. The long awaited crossover season totally delivered. Yes, the whole point of this series is supposed to be that everything is self contained but damn if it wasn't fun to revisit old characters. This season might actually have the least "horror" of them all but it was no less entertaining. They leaned into the camp hard and it completely paid off. Trailer here.

3. Big Mouth

Proof that you can do juvenile "adult" humor without being completely shitty and offensive (eat your heart out South Park and Family Guy). Big Mouth has a ton of heart as it tackles the awkwardness of puberty. The Shame Wizard was a fantastic addition to the cast and a big shout out to them for the Planned Parenthood episode. Trailer here.

2. Preacher

At times I feel like the only one watching this. The lack of budget was painfully obvious at times but the fantastic performances by Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, and the rest of the supporting cast is able to carry it through the periods with no action. For anyone who has not seen it, it is basically a show about a superhero with the power to control people with his voice who, along with his girlfriend and his vampire sidekick, are trying to find God and maybe kick his ass for abandoning heaven. Also the Devil and Hitler come out. Y'all should be watching Preacher. Trailer here.

1. On My Block

One part coming of age drama, one part Menace II Society, one part romance, and one part Goonies. On My Block is a refreshing TV show about a group of kids growing up in LA. I have to give them huge kudos for not feeling the need to put a token white kid in the friend group and letting it actually be minority led. The soundtrack is straight fire and the show had me laughing at multiple points each episode. And I love how the characters are all low key super smart but they never make a big deal out of it or bother spending time showing them in school or studying. Like, yes, it is in fact possible for minorities to be smart and do well in school even though they don't spend all their time studying (I was one of those!). It also has a lot of subtle touches that I loved like how the characters would constantly gravitate towards each other and break off by race or by gender whenever there was inner conflict. It is never verbalized but it is a cool subtle commentary on how humans tend to gravitate towards others like them when going through a difficult situation. This show is far and away my favorite of the year, everything else on this list didn't even come close. Trailer here.

I really did not play very many games this year. Like, I guess I technically played 18 games that released in 2018, but most of those I spent an hour or less with. Old games I spent a significant amount of time with this year were Forza Horizon, Cuphead, and Fortnite. The first two were a result of me buying an Xbox One X, primarily as a 4K Blu-ray player, and figuring I should play something on it too. Horizon is just as fun as it was when I played it on 360 and looks absolutely stunning on the X. Cuphead is also beautiful and just as hard as everyone said it was. Fortnite is a ton of fun to play if you are playing with others you know. Being able to do cross play and play with my brother (who is on Switch) while I play on the Xbox is still a miracle I never thought I would live to see.

But anyway, 2018 games. The ones I played were pretty meh. I didn't have the time to really dig and see what the indie scene was offering and Steam, Itchio and even the console stores have continued to be bloated with even more mediocre shit making the job of sifting that much harder and more time consuming. The AAA industry felt like they didn't really make any big innovations with their studios and as a result I was just left feeling sorta meh about the whole thing. If you are interested, here are links to my previous game of the year blog posts: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

But anyway, amongst the games that I did play, these five were my favorite:

5. God of War

Based on the reaction of most people on this game, it seems like people were ready for a big refresh on this game. I honestly would have been happy with just more God of War, but new can be nice too. And it was indeed nice here. Revisiting Kratos and getting a real shift in character development that felt earned was no small feat. I had my issues with this game, but it was still a solid revival of a dormant franchise and they set up some big things for the future of the series. The heart is there, just expand on it and bring more spectacle next time and I'll be happy.

4. Detroit: Become Human

I want to make sure that I preface this by saying that the story in this game is bad. Like, offensively terrible. David Cage is either stupid, an asshole, or a stupid asshole for writing the story in this game. Everyone and everything from Malcolm X to the motherfuking Holocaust are shown profound disrespect and misunderstanding in this game about fucking robots and that gain sentience. With that said, I played through this game with my brother in a "pass the controller" fashion with him controlling Kara, me controlling Markus, and us switching off on who controls Connor. There is still nothing else quite like this on the market and this engine and game design really does deserve a better script than what David Cage can muster. As it stands, it was still really fun to play through and riff on with someone else by my side.

3. Forza Horizon 4

What the hell happened to all the good arcade racers? Like, I was complaining last gen that we weren't getting enough of these kinds of games and somehow we have even fewer now. Horizon 4 is not quite a full on arcade racers (as defined by being able to pull the e-break at a moments notice and drift) but it also isn't a full on sim either. Horizon 4 lies somewhere in-between, and provides some uniquely solid controls that are forgiving without being completely self playing. The drift zones in particular were my favorite to go through. The map has a glut of content with various types of races throughout the well made map and there are enough speed traps, ramps, and drift zones that even driving around the open world can be a lot of fun. The game does have an issue with money being doled out at a snail pace alongside loot boxes that usually give you shit you don't want, but I liked enough of the vehicles on offer that I was able to make peace early on that I would only get to drive the exotics that I won in wheel spins. I also spent a large amount of time in the editor, fine tuning both the interior and exterior of my car. The "Forzathon Live" events that happen every hour on the hour provided a great place to show off my car while doing all sorts of goofy cooperative challenges.

2. Into the Breach

Robots fighting monsters will never not be cool. Into the Breach perfectly captures this awesomeness in a short, turn based rougelike with runs that never overstay their welcome. There is a large supply of robots to pick from and each provides a unique way to approach the map and enemies. I mentioned it in my review, but the big thing that hooked me about this game where other rougelikes lose me is that you never feel powerless at the start of the game, and there is an ample amount of player choice when starting your run thanks to choosing which mechs you want to take with you.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Smash Bros has always been great, but something about Ultimate feels extra special. The characters all just feel right. Hits have a greater sense of impact and the zoom-ins when delivering a KO hit are beautiful. With a roster this large, if you can't find one character you enjoy playing as the you aren't looking hard enough. Sure, a representative from the Wonderful 101 or ARMS would have been greatly appreciated, but I can't complain when looking at the rooster on display. The standard fights are fantastic and online has been really great for me as well outside of a handful of laggy matches near launch. Being able to play 2v2 with a local partner is great as is seeing the strategies and synergies others come up with. There is something incredibly satisfying about grabbing an opponent and just holding them while your partner delivers the finishing blow. The World of Light mode and Spirit Board are all fun little diversions in between standard matches against human beings and they have enough content to last quite a long time. This game really does feel like the culmination of the this franchise and I have no clue where the hell they are going to go from here. But for right now? I'm enjoying the hell out of this moment.

With the Oscar's coming next week I figured I would write up what the real best movies of 2017 were. At the end of each write up I included a trailer for the movie if I have failed to convinced you that it is worth watching. Most of the trailers are fairly spoiler free, with the exception of one but I do provide a warning for it. Most of these movies are available to stream on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

10. I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore

A Coen Brothers style film about inept characters trying to get revenge in a world that doesn't give the first shit about them. Elijah Wood seems to be channeling Kip from Napoleon Dynamite as the charming protagonists fumble their way through wacky situations of their own making. Trailer can be found here.

9. Free Fire

This movie is basically just one big gun fight among snarky characters spouting off one liners. It is a simple premise and there isn't much in the way of a larger plot. And that is ok. Sometimes it is fun to just watch some mindless shenanigans. The actors are all clearly having fun with it which goes a long way towards making this shallow film a fun ride. Trailer can be found here.

8. Good Time

It didn't hit me until after I finished watching it, but Good Time is actually a brilliant film about white privilege. Robert Pattinson does a fantastic job at portraying a self-centered piece of shit with absolutely no consideration for anyone but himself. At no point was I rooting for the protagonist but I remained engaged anyway as he continuously makes things worse and yet somehow weaseled himself out of those situations. Trailer can be found here.

7. Get Out

With his very first movie Jordan Peele has established himself as an incredibly talented director to look out for. Get Out is an incredibly unique horror movie that is unlike anything else currently out there. Peele is able to perfectly capture that unique brand of awkward uncomfortableness that only comes when you are surrounded by bougie white people. Trailer can be found here.

6. Power Rangers

I'm not ashamed to say that I love big Hollywood action blockbusters. When I found out there was going to be a Power Rangers movie there was no question as to whether or not I would check it out. But it is not the spectical nor the action that put this movie on my list. Rather, it is the fantastic interactions between the team members. The Power Rangers have always been about the friendship between a group of teenagers with attitude and this movie leans into the whole "Breakfast Club with superpowers" for about 80 percent of the movie. Once they get the suits it becomes the Hollywood blockbuster that everyone was expecting, but that lead up to that moment is what puts it above the standard superhero movie. Trailer can be found here.

5. Mayhem

Mark my words, Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving are going to make it big. If there is any justice in the world, they will both become household names before too long. Both actors are incredibly charismatic and bring a real energy to the screen. Mayhem is about a virus causes people to lose their inhibitions. This virus gets released in a law firm, and what follows is a action comedy that as our protagonists try to reach the CEO of the firm. It is like the director saw the church scene in Kingsman and said "yeah, I can make a movie about that." It is a simple premise that is able to remain interesting for the duration of the films runtime. Trailer can be found here.

4. Okja

A movie about genetically modified super pigs has no right to be this good. Bong Joon-ho recruited an incredible cast for this movie with some standout performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Steven Yeun, and Ahn Seo-Hyun. The film has a variety of locations which, when combined with the cast, make the world feel very well realized. The animators who did the CGI on Okja herself also deserve a lot of credit. They actually made me care about a cartoon pig. I am pretty sure this movie has turned more people vegan than PETA ever has. By the time the credits were rolling this movie had made me feel all of the feelings. Trailer can be found here.

3. The Babysitter

One of the funniest movies I have seen in years. It is a tightly packed comedy that is pretty much Chekov's Gun: The Movie. There is no wasted time as every scene ends up serving some purpose, whether that be setting up a plot point or one of the movies many gags. This movie completely cemented Samara Weaving as someone to keep an eye out for. Anyone who is a fan of horror comedies should go check this out. Trailer can be found here.Note: This trailer does spoil quite a bit. If you are sensitive about that sort of thing, there is your warning. It is available on Netflix.

2. Gerald's Game

I don't think I have ever seen a movie about a person trapped by themselves paced this well. The movie quickly moves from beat to beat without ever feeling rushed. The Stephen King book from which this is adapted is filled with inner monologues and the film is able to get around that by having the character hallucinate and thus have other characters to play off of. It totally works and is carried by Carla Gugino's performance. It also features the single most horrifying moment I have ever seen in a movie ever. Trailer can be found here.

1. It Comes At Night

I came into this movie completely blind and was expecting a standard monster horror movie. What I got instead was a character piece that delves deep into the theme of paranoia. Yes, it is set in a house in the middle of nowhere. Yes, it is set in the post-appocolypse where there is a deadly virus. And yes, there is some kind of monstrosity that lives in the woods. But that all exists as a way to heighten the sense of paranoia among the characters. Make no mistake, this is a movie about the characters and their lack of trust of one another. The film maker uses some subtle and not so subtle techniques to give the viewer that same sense of paranoia as the characters. It is incredibly well done and kept me engaged throughout. The movie also raises a million and a half questions and answers almost none of them which is sure to frustrate some people. I actually loved this aspect too, as it gave me much more to reflect and speculate on long after the movie was over. Trailer can be found here.

I have been meaning to write this up for a while but haven't found the time. Better late then never right? 2017 was a pretty solid year for TV. I haven't been doing these lists as often as I have for GOTY stuff but I do have posts from 2014, 2015, and 2016 if you are interested in getting a sense for my taste and how it has changed.

Before I dive into my 10 favorite shows of the year I do want to take a moment and say that Marvel's The Defenders on Netflix was one of the most disappointing pieces of entertainment I have ever watched. I had been eagerly anticipating this show since it was first announced way back before they even began filming Daredevil. Then the trailer came out and it was fantastic. At that point I was no longer even considering this show could be anything less then amazing. Then it came out and I saw it. Talk about being less than the sum of your parts. I cannot adequately express how disappointed I was as I sat through what ended up being an eight hour long wet fart. The Hand was not interesting in Daredevil, they were not interesting in Iron Fist, and they were not interesting here. Seriously, what the fuck happened? They had such an amazing cast of actors and they ended up producing such a mediocre and forgettable piece of bleh.

Anyway, now that I got that off my chest, below you will find my top 10 shows of the year. A link has been added at the end of each write up that leads to a YouTube trailer for the show in the event you haven't seen it before and want to find out a bit more about it.

10. American Horror Story: Cult

At this point I am committed to seeing this series through to the end. Season 7 was focused heavily on the 2016 election along with a look into a cult of economically anxious conservatives. This season was incredibly hit or miss and filled with highs and lows. The episode focused on recruiting cult members or the one that was basically American Horror Story: Saw were all pretty great, well paced episodes and some of the best this series has ever seen. That said, the season had some episodes that were a lot more uneven like the Zodiac killer one or the the one focused on Charles Manson. The show introduces and dumps plot threads at a rapid pace which is both a blessing and a curse depending on what the current focus is. It is nothing new to the series and anyone who has seen any other seasons knows what they are getting into at this point. The lack of supernatural elements was a tad disappointing but it is redeemed by having one of the strongest conclusions to a season yet. Trailer can be found here.

9. The Path

Aaron Paul is one of those people who seems like he should have blown up and made it huge but didn't. He was great in Breaking Bad and did a solid job in Need For Speed and The Path but no one seems to give a shit. Anyway, the second season of The Path was a solid continuation from season one as we journey deeper into the corruption of their fictional church. Every character in this show is a piece of shit in the most entertaining way. I want them all to fail and I enjoy seeing them each continue to dig themselves deeper into a hole as they use religion to justify their shitty actions. The super natural elements seem really superfluous at this point as I am honestly much more interested in the criminal acts going on. Presumably they are setting up some kind of crazy shit though and I am excited to see where they take the series next. Trailer can be found here.

8. Sense8

The title matching up with its spot on my list is purely a coincidence, I promise. I loved loved loved the first season and I still think it is some of the best TV to ever have been put out anywhere. Season 2 is not as strong but is still pretty good. I was unfortunately not able to find the time to watch season 2 until after the shows cancellation had been announced. Needless to say that put a real shitty veil over this show as I watched it and I am positive it impacted my enjoyment. The main characters are as lovable as ever although I didn't care for some of the new sensates they added. The overall plot also got less interesting the more they focused on the larger global conspiracy. It is boring and uninteresting and a mistake to spend so much time on it. That said, the eight main characters and their sidekicks all continue to be fantastic and their interactions are the reason I continued watching despite the nonsensical main plot. Trailer can be found here.

7. Dragon Ball Super

The Future Trunks saga was amazing and they were able to keep that momentum going with the Universe Survival arc. The tournament of power has done a great job of making me care about characters other than just Goku and Vegeta. They even managed to make Master Roshi a legitimate badass again. I actually really like how self contained the episodes have been, with fights rarely spilling over across multiple episodes. I appreciated knowing that even when a particular match wasn't to my liking that there would be a new match the following week (except for that month they spent focused on Goku/Kale/Caulifa, not sure what the hell they were thinking spending so much time on that). They have introduced a whole slew of amazing characters that we will surely continue to see in fighting games for years to come. 2017 and I am still in love with this show and eagerly anticipating the next episode like I was when I was ten years old. Trailer can be found here.

6. American Vandal

Biggest surprise of the year by far. I did not see this one coming at all. A mockumentry about a high school student who is a accused of spray painting dicks on cars. It is an absurd premise that is hilarious as hell thanks to some great writing and some great actors. The story ends up having a lot of heart as well and I grew attached to everyone as the "directors" played detective and take the audience for a ride. By the end of it the show ends up being a pretty thought provoking piece on labeling theory. Trailer can be found here.

5. Stranger Things

Even though I felt like it was a step down from the first season it is still an incredible show that has some great characters and interactions. I loved the new characters added and Max is a great addition to the main crew although it did irk me how almost every character on the show treated her like shit. There wasn't as much suspense and mystery as there was in the first season, instead replacing it with a countdown to doomsday. The show had some really incredible pacing right up until the episode focused on Eleven. It is a great episode that is dropped in at the most terrible moment and completely kills all the momentum the show had going for it. Anyway, the character moments continue to be the best parts and Steve's interactions with the kids were the highlights of the season. Trailer can be found here.

4. Agents of SHIELD

That entire back half of season 4 was an incredible ride. I love reading "What-if" comics and creating an entire arc around one while still making it work with the overarching season plot was impressive. Gabriel Luna continued to steal ever scene he was in with his portrayal of Ghost Rider. John Hannah's performance was another highlight as the shitty character you can't help but love. Iain De Caestecker and Mallory Jansen were the MVP's of the season however, showing off an incredible range of performance. The first half of season 5 was also pretty good opting to set itself in space and doing all the shenanigans that that entails. The space scenes all look really incredible which is surprising considering the budget got cut this season. I have said it before but even after seeing the trailer for Infinity War, I am still way more interested in what happens to Coulson and his friends than I am in whatever the Avengers get into. Trailer can be found here.

3. The Punisher

Jon Bernthal has done an absolutely incredible job bringing the Punisher to life and making this crazed murder a sympathetic man. This is the tightest show Netflix has ever released and at no point did I feel it was dragging. It is brutal, violent and yet still manages to have a lot of heart thanks to Frank's relationship with the supporting cast. He is a character that loves people and being around them and yet continuously pushes them away and murders those who he deems bad. The ties to other Netflix shows are incredibly minimal which is for the best since it allowed this show to avoid getting that Defenders stink on it. This is the best incarnation of Frank Castle in any form of entertainment and I can't wait to see where they take the character next. Trailer can be found here.

2. Runaways

I have no background with the source material but that did not stop me from completely falling in love with this misfit team of kids trying to uncover an evil conspiracy that their parents are involved in. Both the kids and the parents do a great job of interacting between and among themselves. It often times feels like two completely different shows, with one plot following the parents and the other following the kids. I found them both enjoyable though and thus loved it from beginning to end. The bulk of the parent sections were focused on character infidelities and human sacrifices. The kid sections on the other hand were one part teen drama, one part "Scooby-Doo with superheroes" which I loved (Scooby-Doo was favorite show as a kid). The effects on Old Lace are great and I appreciate them actually using a practical puppet for her. They actually managed to make a dinosaur a main character and have her not look distractingly goofy on screen. That is no small task. Trailer can be found here.

1. My Hero Academia

As you can probably tell from all the Marvel on this list, I really love me some superhero goodness. That said, the first season of My Hero Academia was just ok in my opinion. It didn't really grab me and I didn't really give a shit what was going on. I had no expectations for season 2 and it ended up completely flooring me. From beginning to end it had some of the best pacing I have ever seen in any TV show. Major plot points resolve in single 20-something minute episodes all while servicing a larger plot. But more than just the pacing, it is the incredibly likable characters that kept me tuning in every Saturday morning (made me feel like a kid again). The voice acting in the Funimation dub (yeah I saw the dub) and the animation were also top notch and matched the quality of every other aspect of this show. For those of you who don't know, both seasons open with the protagonist saying "This is the story of how I became the greatest hero of all time." It is an impressive thing for a show to straight up tell you "the protagonist is going to win in the end" and yet still manage to make you want to root for him. 2017 had some fucked up shit happening so I very much appreciated this hopeful, optimistic show. Trailer can be found here.

This has been quite an amazing year for games. I have been pretty down on games these last few years but this year I was completely sucked back in. Video games were pretty damn great in 2017, the best year since 2013 in my opinion. I played 41 games this year that actually released in 2017, and that does not include the numerous other games I played this year that were released in previous years. If you would like to see the full list of games I played this year and my thoughts on them you can find that here. You can also find my previous GOTY blog posts at the following links: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

I work and go to graduate school full time and so free time is a real luxury for me. Because of this, I have come to really appreciate shorter games as well as games that don't require a large time investment to learn how to play. Those games that I could easily finish in one sitting or come back to after a month and easily pick up where I left off were the ones I ended up valuing the most. My top five games were incredibly difficult to rank because they were so different in what they excelled at. It should be noted that I feel those top five games are all on the same level in terms of quality.

Anyway, here are my top ten games of 2017.

Note: At the end of my brief write up for each game I state which system I played the game on and provide a link to the games trailer so that you can easily get more info if you would like it.

10. Golf Story

I got it on a whim because I was hearing good things. I've never liked golf (neither in video game form nor in real life) but this game was pretty great. The actual act of playing golf itself is serviceable (not my cup of tea) but it is inoffensive enough to keep me going. What puts this game on my list are the phenomenal story and characters that completely carry this game. The writing is hilarious and the characters are all fleshed out and have a surprising amount of depth for such a goofy game.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

9. Universal Paperclips

A clicker about making paperclips. It is a simple premise that gets really really dumb in the best possible way. You are never doing the same thing for too long and the game was able to hold my attention through to the end due to how absurd the tasks kept getting. I first checked out this game at work when I had some down time and I ended up spending an unreasonable amount of that workday making paperclips. I then left work and used what I learned to play through the game in a more efficient manner at home. Introducing it to other coworkers and getting them hooked on it was also good fun.

I played through this game on both Chome and Safari. The game does not have a trailer but it is completely free to play and can be played here: http://www.decisionproblem.com/paperclips/.

8. Midnight Scenes: The Highway

This point and click adventure is the video game equivalent of a horror short story. It sets up its premise, makes you feel tense and scared as it tells its story, and then it is over. Short, sweet and to the point. It does what it sets out to do perfectly and there isn't really anything bad to say about it. It takes less than half an hour to download and play through so it isn't too much of an investment to check out.

I played through this game on Mac. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube. The game can be download for free on the following site: https://pixelshuh.itch.io/midnight-scenes-the-highway.

7. Old Man's Journey

A dialogue and text free point and click puzzle game that tells an engaging story using only its beautiful art and music. The puzzles are all simple and the game itself only takes about 90 minutes to beat so it is over before it overstays its welcome. It is a complete experience that I was able to have in about the same amount of time I could have spent watching a movie which I very much appreciated.

I played through this game on Mac. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

6. A Normal Lost Phone

A game about snooping through a phone you find. The narrative is a great coming of age story and the puzzles and detective work required to unlock the different parts of the phone are all fun. The game takes some interesting directions with its gameplay as it goes on and turns the player into a real piece of shit for the steps you are required to take in order to find out more information about this individual. But in a game about invading someones privacy and snooping through their shit I am glad the game goes all the way and really has you do some messed up stuff. This direction gives A Normal Lost Phone an added layer to reflect on besides the content of the story when you finish the game.

I played through this game on Mac. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

5. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

I bought this game because it was made by Ninja Theory and came in expecting a character action game with awesome combat. What I got instead was a puzzle/adventure game with about a dozen or so combat scenarios (which are obviously top notch). Not at all what I was expecting but the game has such an engaging story that I did not mind it. It is a narrative driven psychological horror game that takes you through Norse mythology and does some incredible things with binaural audio to create an experience unlike anything else out there. I also need to give Ninja Theory huge kudos for including a documentary featurette that goes over the making of the game. It is super well done and a great way to help you process the experience after finishing the game.

I played through this game on the PlayStation 4. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

4. What Remains of Edith Finch

More of a story than a game, but damn if it isn't a really great story. Exploring the Finch house and messing around with the different interactive sections was a lot of fun and I found myself completely captivated by the narrative and its presentation. The game is a series of short stories told from the perspective of a different narrator and there is not a single one I did not enjoy. Everything from the way that the narration pops up on screen to the lightly interactive sections make this feel like a pop up book for grown-ups. Like many of the other games on this list, it also ends before it overstays its welcome.

I played through this game on the PlayStation 4. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

3. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

This is a game that has no business existing, let alone being as amazing as it is. The Rabbid characters are all super charming and mesh surprising well with the Mushroom Kingdom. It feels like a Nintendo game and despite a lot of absurdity nothing sticks out or seems like it doesn't belong. The game has a real Borderlands vibe (complete with its own Claptrap stand in) and the turn based gameplay provides variety when tackling missions. The characters are all unique and the challenge levels provide a solid level of difficulty beyond what is found in the story mode. Top to bottom, everything about this game just works and feels right.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

2. The Sexy Brutale

As the name suggests, The Sexy Brutale is indeed a brutal tale that is quite sexy. An amazing premise (Clue meets Groundhog Day) and a catchy title were enough to get me to buy this game, but the incredible aesthetic and soundtrack solidified it's place on this list. It is easily the best soundtrack of the year that I found myself listening to time and time again. Every track, from One Look to Carousel Macabre, evoke a feeling and set a tone. This soundtrack, combined with the the art style and story, made me get completely lost and immersed in the world. I normally ignore the bits of lore collected in games that you need to read but this game was so damn interesting I read every last note and enjoyed every minute of it. This is an incredibly unique and beautiful game.

I played through this game on the PlayStation 4. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.

1. ARMS

The simplicity of the gameplay made me completely fall in love with this fighting game. It is a game with two punch buttons, a jump button, an evade mode, and a block button. I have been able to come back to ARMS again and again without having to worry about memorizing combo inputs. Those simple controls ensured that I never lost because I fumbled the execution and did a regular kick instead of the spinning bird kick I meant to. The party mode offered enough variety to keep me coming back again and again, even if only for short bursts, and the free DLC updates that came throughout the year were all amazing. The new characters all feel right at home with the original cast as do the new ARMS. The events that were added post-launch also gave me reason to come back and experiment with new ARMS combinations. This game oozes style and the character and stage designs are all top notch. The soundtrack is also great with a leitmotif that is catchy as hell. All this was enough for ARMS to just barely squeak out ahead of the other incredible games I played this year.

I played through this game on the Nintendo Switch. Click here to see the trailer on YouTube.