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Yoko Taro the absolute madman has done it again. Only time will tell what the monkey’s paw effect of a sequel to Nier being made is but, no matter what it could be, it was worth it. Aside from the graphics, gameplay was really the only area where the original Nier was lacking. With PlatinumGames at the helm, that issue was remedied in Automata. The standard combat feels nice and smooth as do the other multi-genre combat scenarios which are never obtrusive nor disrupt the flow of gameplay. With respect to the soundtrack, despite nearly every game on this list each having a fantastic soundtrack in its own right, Automata’s outshines them all and, like its predecessor, will be looked back on as one of the all-time greatest.
When Automata’s demo released around this time last year, it left me in such awe that I played through it at least three more times and forced one of my friends to sit down in front of my TV and complete it. I can’t recall the last time a demo left such a strong impression on me. The finished product did not disappoint, even after such high expectations had been set, with numerous moments throughout that will stay with me forever. Like many reviewers have already said, Automata’s story could only be told in a video game and must be experienced firsthand. If you really want to be that guy and make a case for video games as art (don’t be that guy), look no further than Nier: Automata. It pushes the boundaries of what video games can be farther than any walking simulator ever has and will.
Now for a personal anecdote: In 2015, I saw Video Games Live in Boston where the director asked the audience if anyone had heard of a game called Nier. Only myself and a handful of other people in the entire theater embarrassed ourselves by making noise in acknowledgement. The orchestra proceeded to premiere their rendition of “Song of the Ancients” (aka the best song in any game). I never expected not only for a sequel to this then half-decade-old cult classic to be announced just a few months later, but to receive the attention and recognition it deserves. While all these Johnny-come-latelies who hadn’t even heard of Nier until now or don’t even realize that Automata is a sequel and are acting like they’ve discovered the hot new IP are rustling my neckbeard, I’m grateful Automata has been exposed to a wide audience and has sold well because this world needs more Nier.
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I never thought Winter 2014 would come. Nearly a decade and countless fighting games, dancing games, remakes, and anime since Persona 4, I can only wonder how many Persona fans have died waiting for 5. It’s clear when playing why Atlus took their time making the game. Persona 5 is so polished and, in a year already full of stylish games, immediately stands out in terms of style. It’s never not gorgeous to watch and the screen is always busy but never overwhelming. Even the menus are a sight to behold. I found the main cast unremarkable compared to those of the previous games but this gripe is made up for by the side characters who are a lot more interesting this time around. Instead of the randomly generated dungeons of Personas 3 and 4, the main story dungeons in 5 have been deliberately handcrafted in a way that, despite some weak dungeons, makes them more memorable than any from the last two entries. There was never a point during my 105 hours with Persona 5 where I wanted the game to end.
Anyway, none of what I wrote really matters since you can date your teacher and that alone is enough to catapult this game into at least the top half of my list.
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Like Zelda, Mario is one of those franchises where it’s redundant to justify its place on this kind of list. Those two names are synonymous with quality. Super Mario Odyssey is quality unlike anything I’ve seen from Mario yet. You can’t go wrong with the classic, linear platforming Mario is known for but I definitely prefer the more open, goal-oriented style of 64 and Sunshine. Following in the footsteps of those classics, Odyssey is an absolute delight to play. It’s impossible for any healthy person to play this game and not crack a smile. If your spirits were not lifted by the New Donk City finale or the story’s end sequence, the national suicide prevention hotline is 1-800-273-8255.
Odyssey doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s of a level of refinement that most games can only dream of achieving. Similarly to Breath of the Wild, you are not limited to a single way of completing challenges; Mario's movements can be influenced in such ways that, throughout my time with Odyssey, I was always learning new techniques to move about the environments. Many of these techniques are valuable, if not vital, for completing some of the later challenges. Being such an accessible game, Super Mario Odyssey is probably the only one on this list I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone.
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Do you remember the 2000s when open world games were amazing? In a decade dominated by Grand Theft Auto, The Elder Scrolls, and World of Warcraft, I wondered why every game couldn't be open world. Then fast forward to the present day where “open world” is now just a box that every developer checks off for marketing purposes and what we’re given are empty, lifeless environments devoid of anything noteworthy. The open world exists solely as padding to trick you into thinking a game that otherwise has eight hours of content has twenty. This problem is only compounded by the fact that quests or missions are typically just repetitive MMO-tier fetch/kill quests. The transition to open world has even ruined entire series (see: Metal Gear Solid V). Linear games actually weren’t so bad, right? There are always exceptions, of course, but Breath of the Wild is not just an exception—it is what should be studied by other developers when making any open world games going forward.
The game lets you take care of business at your own pace and by any means necessary, limited only by your imagination. There is just one quest you’re required to complete in order to see the ending and whatever you do before that is left entirely up to you without any hand-holding. The minimap is never cluttered with icons except for those you've placed yourself as personal points of interest. The entire map is available to explore immediately without any barriers preventing you from doing so until certain story requirements have been met. In fact, you are rewarded for going off the beaten path. Breath of the Wild is the open world sandbox that MGSV was meant to be (I'm not still bitter or anything). Much of what I'd heard about Breath of the Wild when details first started coming out left me feeling apprehensive. I was apprehensive about dungeons being largely abandoned in favor of shrines. I realized upon playing, however, that the shrines are actually fun little challenges wherein finding them in the first place is a fun little challenge in itself. I was apprehensive when I first learned of the open world nature of the game but now that I've played it, I am ready for open world games to be great again.
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Ever since Cuphead’s E3 2014 reveal there was always the question in the back of everyone’s minds as to whether the aesthetic was all it had going for it. I’m relieved that the reality couldn’t be further from the case. It should go without saying, however, that the striking animation does have to be seen to be believed. With regard to gameplay, Cuphead is hands down the most difficult game on my list with every single boss feeling immensely rewarding to overcome. As someone who is generally disinterested in multiplayer both competitive and cooperative, playing through Cuphead with a friend—watching our moves unconsciously sync up over time and breaking each other’s balls whenever one of us died—was one of my most memorable gaming experiences of this year.
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It’s not that I wasn’t excited when a Yakuza prequel set in the 1980s was announced (Yakuza and the 80s are the perfect ridiculous combination!). I just couldn’t help but think Sega was putting out some fanservice as a quick cash grab before making Yakuza 6. You play as Mr. Fanservice himself, Majima, in this one, after all. I couldn’t be happier to have been wrong. You get just a taste of it in Yakuza 4 but who would have expected Majima, the silly comic relief character, to be some tragic hero and have the saddest backstory out of any character in the series? In addition to Yakuza 0’s story being the best in the series, the gameplay is more fun than it’s ever been. The minigames and substories are at their most addictive and wacky and the combat is fluid thanks to the game running at 60 FPS. I encourage anyone who has never played a Yakuza game to pick up 0 as not only is it far and away the best one yet, but Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the first game, was also released in English this year and references it frequently so there is no better time or place to delve into the beautiful lunacy that is the Yakuza series.
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I can’t believe I haven’t seen more people talking about this game. Ys VIII’s gameplay is simple but its progression makes it one of the most addictive experiences of the year. It’s a ton of fun rescuing fellow shipwreck survivors in order to build new amenities for Castaway Village and clear obstacles to access more parts of the island. You’re constantly unlocking new things to do. The combat is fast-paced and just tactical enough to never get boring and it only feels even more exciting thanks to the killer soundtrack. From the enemies to the vistas and landscapes, there’s a stunning amount of variety unseen in many modern JRPGs that eschew variety for palette-swapping. I completed 100% of the map and all of the side quests because I wanted to see everything Ys VIII had to offer—not for the trophies or for completion’s sake.
Side note: The English localization ranges from mediocre to embarrassing but is apparently going to be fixed so while Ys VIII is certainly enjoyable in its current state, I would wait until the patch hits before playing.
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Even though Fr*mS*ftware did not release a new D**k S***s or B***db**ne game this year, Team Ninja made up for it with Nioh. The inspiration is obvious the moment you start playing, but rather than simply copying that style of gameplay for a feudal Japanese setting, Nioh comes into its own with many new gameplay mechanics befitting a samurai and the folklore of that period. In Nioh, I came for the challenge and stayed for the history lessons. Who knew that an English sailor traveled to Japan in the 17th century and went on a yokai killing spree? The English characters speaking English and the Japanese characters speaking Japanese are a nice touch. I was impressed with how unique Nioh turned out, proving that other developers can successfully make this type of game.
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It seems one genre we can consistently rely on to be solid year after year is the “indie Metroidvania with a beautiful art style” genre. Atmospheric, challenging, and expertly designed, Hollow Knight is a game to get lost in. I mean it, too—a lot of time is spent in-game getting your bearings in the labyrinthine Hallownest. I am, by no means, a fan of bugs beyond their ecological benefits, but Hollow Knight’s gorgeous character and world designs grew on me. Like last year’s Stardew Valley, this $15 game is teeming with content with more still being added by the developers free of charge. Hollow Knight gives you the most for your dollar and there is more “game” found within than many AAA games that cost four times as much.
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It’s been six years since To the Moon came out of nowhere and turned so many people, myself included, into an emotional wreck. With only two weeks left in the year, Kan Gao finally unleashed his sequel onto the unwitting masses. While the graphics look just a bit dated in some spots, they have clearly been animated with care. The music is emotional, nostalgic, and each song is always used appropriately. The story’s climax didn’t hit as hard as To the Moon’s but the message resonated with me more; thinking back on all the experiences I’ve had during the last six years, Finding Paradise’s theme of accepting your regrets and moving on was something I needed.
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Honorable Mention -- If this were any other year I’d have probably included this in my list proper but there were just too many amazing releases to not recognize. That said, I’d be remiss to not acknowledge the visual novel that has occupied my mind for the past few years as I waited for a full translation. Wonderful Everyday (aka Subarashiki Hibi aka Subahibi) is simultaneously one of the most depraved and pretentious “games” available to legally buy in English. The story reaches jarring highs and lows of shock and obfuscation yet I always remained compelled to journey farther down the rabbit-hole in order to learn the truth behind the cast’s descent into madness. Going into specifics would ruin what makes Wonderful Everyday’s story so memorable. This is the Doki Doki Literature Club you did not play this year.
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