Yeah I Know It's Late But I Was Busy, Dude

The year two thousand and fifteen was a strange one for me. Both when I had a controller in my hand and when I didn't. A few weeks back when Game of The Year deliberations were in the air, I impulsively deemed this year a great one, without giving it too much thought. I played a lot of games and felt pretty highly of a few. But as I sit here writing this list of my favorite games from this year, I sit puzzled. For all the games I played and even enjoyed I struggle to think of ten that I felt strongly about. I've even completed games that I thought were fun but had no real attachment to. I was entertained sure, but I doubt I'll ever go back to them or really identify them as much more than a few good moments deep inside them. There is nothing wrong with this, I try to experience as many games as I can. I am always interested in what a game is trying to do and how well it executes its intentions. I've enjoyed my time with nearly every game I played this year but very few actually made a strong impact on me. So because of this, I'm not doing your average top ten list because I don't think I can really pick ten games and call them my favorite while trying to rank them. I'm just going to try to talk about some games I played that I think are worth mentioning. So let's get started.

Blockbusters I Didn't Intend to Finish But Did

Fallout 4: I have always had a weird relationship with the Fallout games, notably the previous two. I have bought, returned, borrowed, returned, bought again, and re-bought on another platform, Fallout 3 over the last three years. I've probably started and abandoned a Fallout 3 playthrough about 8 times. I've done similar things with New Vegas as well. But I am utterly fascinated by the 3D Fallout games. I am someone who loves mid-twentieth century culture and revisionist history. On paper everything about those Fallout games should "click" with me but it never does. I think my problem is with the more "gamey" parts of those games. For games that came out in late 2000's they really appear much older. Everything from the player movement, character animations, and primarily the shooting seem outdated. I don't need to go into why that part of the game lacks but ultimately that drove me away from those games. But the dialog system, character stories, and overall world always made me feel like I was missing out by not playing more than a handful of hours. So when Fallout 4 came out and everyone said the shooting was good I was immediately back on board. With the sheer scope of these games I didn't think I'd finish it but I wanted to at least try it since this might be the one. After playing 60 hours and seeing the three important endings, I must say I enjoyed my time with this deeply flawed game. I think nearly every aspect of Fallout 4 is done poorly and without significant effort. From the poor mission design, which is largely a repetitive building-inspection filled with unruly tenants you need to kill, to the stale cutouts you call quest givers, all the way to uninteresting writing and vocal performance. My biggest problem is the handicapped dialog system that removes all player individuality and freedom for uninteresting character interactions without stakes. And yet I still enjoyed my time with the game because of the promise of an interesting world, even if the game so seldom delivered that. I guess it's only fitting that Fallout 4 continues the tradition of my weird relationship with these games.

Batman: Arkham Knight: I was tremendously surprised by Batman: Arkham Asylum. Even though I played it in 2013 and knew all the praise, I was still blown away by how much I liked it. I thought it was a well designed brawler but what I really enjoyed was from the narrative side. Mainly how it liked to play with your expectations and surprise you when you weren't expecting it. I never really touched Arkham City since I played Asylum so late and Knight was quickly approaching. So when I picked up Arkham Knight I was expecting tight mission structure, fluid combat and a story that would at the very least surprise me. I guess its strange to expect surprises, but the first game really brought it in terms of unconventional videogame narratives. Arkham Knight did achieve about two thirds of my expectations. Now you're probably thinking, "if you liked the first game why would you not expect to finish the third?" Well that is a good question. Here's what I'll say about Arkham Knight. As cheesy as it is, Arkham Knight allows you to truly feel like the god-damn Batman. I think the game looks fantastic and controlling the Bat is still fun. For as much as the Arkham combat is copied by other developers, Rocksteady still proves why you can't beat the champ. This is, and might always be, the tightest and most responsive third person brawler game I've ever played. The combat is fast, complex, brutal, and most importantly satisfying. The Batmobile on the other hand is none of these things. The Batmobile as a car can be fun to drive around and chase thugs from time to time, but the tank feature is lame. The tank feature is little more than a shooting gallery on wheels. Something I could look past if the last third of this game didn't lean on it like a fucking crutch. The third act is a slog with too much Bat-tank and a couple frustrating boss battles. A shame since the first half is so interesting, fun, and full of promise. The story is rather underwhelming as well. (Light spoilers ahead). The Joker coming back again was very disappointing. Out of all the places the story could go, it still resorts to old faithful. It made me question if Rocksteady could make a Batman game without that person or if that's all they got. A shame really. Once again, I'm glad I played Arkham Knight but wish certain things were changed. I guess I'll always have Arkham Asylum to go back to.

Transformers Devastation: Alright, I'll fess up. I have never seen a Transformers cartoon. I'm too young to have experienced them during the heyday and I never really felt like going back. I didn't have the toys either so I really don't have any affinity towards the brand. However I think that this game looks rad. I can't remember the last 3D video game that so closely resembles an 80's cartoon. (Of course speaking about the very few I've seen as I mentioned earlier). Anytime a game decides to be colorful I am interested. So I curiously rented this and had some fun. I think this game is dripping with styyyle and for the most part nails it. However I think the upgrade system and lack of combat variety leaves much to be desired for. The majority of the game is encounter after encounter where you ostensibly use the same four moves to defeat your opponents. It gets repetitive. There are vehicle sections but those aren't incredibly engaging. However there are some moments where this game deals out absurd and over-the-top spectacle which made me grin like a child. Like two giant robots fighting in the air with missiles and a laser sword while a rocking soundtrack plays. At times the action is a delight. I only wish there was more of that and more complex enemy encounters. But again, I did have mindless fun in this silly, if repetitive, short experience.

Games I Started and Enjoyed But Put Down and Need to Go Back to

Persona 4 Golden: So I bought a vita this year (It's alright). Mainly because the console and this game were on sale. Also since I have a PS4, I tend to play a lot of the cross-buy games so I thought I would get some use out of it. I heard people describe it as the definitive platform to play Hotline Miami too, (I don't think it is) which I adore. I have never played a JRPG and honestly not many WRPGs either. I've watched about the first 50 episodes of the Endurance Run probably three times, but never make it much further. This game is cool though. I love the high school setting and the localization is charming as hell. All the characters are likable and the overall plot has a Scooby Doo-like approach which keeps the tone light-hearted and fun. My only problem is more personal, but since I don't play much RPGs I don't tend to grind. I'm in it for the story so I'll breeze through dungeons and reach the boss, but be too under leveled to beat him. It can be frustrating to have to retread old ground and skip social events to grind, but that is more of a lesson that I just need to learn about these games. I put it down because of this reason and other games coming out but I'm definitely going to jump back into the TV.

BloodBorne: I never tried the previous souls games. I saw them from afar and thought you needed to be masochistic to play those games. They never really interested me other than for their difficulty. However, Bloodborne did what I didn't think could be done. There was a moment after the first boss where I finally "got it." I understood the appeal and the gameplay loop. I liked meticulously clearing out an area, exploring, and gearing up for that next boss. I could have twenty runs and only three would end up with me making it the boss, but that's the part I enjoyed. The pace of Bloodborne is unlike most games and unlike anything I had heard about the souls games. I thought it was balls-to-the-walls brutality with the game never letting up. While there are moments like this, yes, but the majority of what I played, albeit still the beginning, was slow. I would walk through a level knowing exactly where every person was and what I should be doing to progress. I knew when I fucked up and I knew it was my fault. When I did, I was mad at myself because I was drunk on my own hubris. Oh these guys won't hurt me, I've dealt with them a thou-FUCK I'M STUPID! I LET HIM HIT ME! I JUST LET HIM HIT ME! And when I made it to the boss again, I felt excited. There were stakes placed on my outcome like never before. I would be hyping my self up as I ascended the stairs, thinking that this was the run because if it wasn't, I wouldn't see him for another fifteen minutes at least. Also these bosses are real fuckers. The bosses don't feel like videogame bosses. They don't lunge at you twice then kneel down allowing you to strike since you are The Player. The bosses never treat you like you're the savior of a videogame world. They treat you like a home invader who is trying to kill them. They are relentless pricks. I only played maybe ten to fifteen hours of this game but I still loved it. I would like to go back to it but I find it hard to get back into the swing of things. Still, I commend Bloodborne for making me understand why people like these games and also giving me an experience no other game this year has.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt: Yep, this is the big one. I know, I know. This game is great, I should really continue playing it, it will change who I am to the deepest core of my being. Trust me, I fully understand. I have started this game four times. I have probably played close to fifty hours of this game on my multiple playthroughs. I have a problem taking a long break from a game and not just starting over. I always feel like I will forget some big thing that I played several months ago. Now my most recent playthrough is about twenty hours in and I am enjoying it. I never really had too much problem with Geralt's movement and I've come to terms that I don't want to play the game on a harder-than-normal difficulty. One enjoyable aspect is that I find the writing to be smart and respectful to the player. Even the best video game writing can be juvenile and lacking the smallest hint of subtlety. Not that that is always bad, but very rarely is writing this interesting. The side quests I've experienced have all been very well done. Even if the overall quest was rather simple, the dialog exchanges were better than many other games. I know people say that about this game a lot but seriously, it's true. I completed Fallout 4 and the majority of the main quest in that game is poorer than short side quests in this here Witcher game. I also love the idea that Geralt isn't trying to save the world but only his friends. It grounds this fantastical high fantasy story in a way that makes me care. Trust me, I will get back to it but this game is bloody huge.

Unexpected Games That Came Out and Were Fucking Rad

OlliOlli 2: Welcome to OlliWood: This is a game I nearly, and shamefully, forgot about before writing this list. I remember liking it but never completing it like I did the previous game. I hesitated adding it to the list based on shaky memories. So I decided to jump on the board again and see if my memory was faithful or not. Boy, that game is super cool. I even had to pull myself away from playing through the whole thing so I could write this list.

OlliOlli 2 might be the winner of Video Game with Best Flow in 2015. It feels like butter to jump back in. A trick and landing system so tight, television and controller latency should be balanced around it. OlliOlli 2 is the perfect example of a bigger and better sequel. Better art style, more locations, more tricks, and a better soundtrack. Even manuals were added in this sequel and, as in previous skating games, rewrote the rules. Combos are more fluid and can happen anywhere, with or without a grind-able surface. What might be my favorite thing about the OlliOlli system is the controversial land mechanic. The added button press needed to land a trick. That small mechanic represents real skating to a "T". I own a skateboard and love to skate, but I'll be the first to tell you I'm not good. But from the few tricks I can pull off I always find the hardest part to be landing. You can be so focused on the set up and execution of a trick only to never fully commit to landing. In this game you always have to be ready to land. You need to be quick and ready to commit to that landing. It's so integral to the skating experience. OlliOlli 2 captures the feel and style I love in skating. The soundtrack is easy-going and really "moves". Even as I write this, I am listening to the soundtrack in another tab. The whole game is relaxing and satisfying. OlliOlli 2 takes everything I love about skateboarding and made it into a kick-ass video game.

Nuclear Throne: This is the latest addition to great games I played this year. I had heard Jeff talk about this game before, but all I knew was it was in Early Access and was a Vlambeer game. So I was totally interested and ready to wait for the full release. Then PSX happened and the game was just casually announced as finished and available on the PlayStation 4. So I bought it, downloaded it, and fired that baby up on pedigree and a few screenshots. I was thrilled to learn it was a hard ass dual joystick shooter. I'm not much into rogue-likes, I'm not against them, I just don't play nearly any. I've definitely dabbled with Binding of Issac but haven't sunk too much time in it. Nuclear Throne on the other hand, I can't put down and find killer in almost every way. The rhythm and speed of it is blended well with the high stakes of a hard restart seen in rogue-likes. I can never get too comfortable on a run since the penalty of returning to old areas is so high. Also it can go so wrong, so fast. Death is quick and immediate just as most combat encounters are. A small screen and a lot enemies make for tense and frenetic action that never feels stale. This is a great game to play in small bursts. Anytime I'm switching games, or getting online, or about to turn my console off, I do some runs and get my fix. Always a game I can go back to and yet can never get too comfortable playing. Also, fuck man, my thumb sticks are peeling from playing this.

Rocket League and Pro Evolution Soccer 2016: I'm lumping these two together because I don't need two paragraphs about two different soccer video games. Honestly, I'm surprised any soccer game is on my GOTY list. I never played soccer as a kid and I never really played sports video games outside of Blitz or arcadey baseball games. But as I got older I became more interested in soccer as a sport which resulted in me buying last year's FIFA game on the cheap. I had fun but I never felt as strongly about that game as I did these two. These games are more similar than just including a ball and two nets though. Both are fast, arcadey, and not sticklers to the rules. I don't care about real licensed teams, I don't care about broadcast-like resemblance, I just want a fast match of that oh so beautiful game. Rocket League is simple to play and yet allows for unparalleled freedom in virtual teamwork. I really do feel like I'm part of a team who has a responsibility. And Pro Evo is paced like a soccer game on fast forward. The AI is aggressive as hell and will always pressure you to fight hard. When I play FIFA I am rather slow and diligent trying to find an opening and make a play. When I play Pro Evo I am assertive, quick on my feet, and will always be making that forward push to the goal line. I never feel safe in Pro Evo and that's why I like it. The game allows for fast and high scoring games. Few things have made me feel as good as rushing down a field and putting that ball in the net. Yeah all the licenses aren't there and the referees never make calls but I don't care. I'm just here for a fun game and some nice goals.

Games That Blew Me Away

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain: Like with every other game I mentioned on this list, I need to provide some important context of my experience with this game and the series as a whole. Before September 2015, I had never played a Metal Gear game. For the longest time I had no interest in these weird, Japanese military stealth games. I knew very little about the series. Then Metal Gear Scanlon came out. This is probably my favorite thing to come out of this site since the Ryckert-Oestreicher merge. This feature introduced me to Metal Gear Solid and all the wackiness it's known for. A uniquely bombastic stealth game revolving around a bunch of ludicrously code-named weirdos, being melodramatic about who controls the titular weaponry that is already obsolete in the present, let alone the fake future. I have experienced nearly all of the first four Metal Gear Solids vicariously through Drew, a man I've never met, and somehow gained a serious appreciation for the series. The reason I played The Phantom Pain at all is because the this video series. Metal Gear Solid V was sold to me off the backs of Drew Scanlon and Dan Ryckert.

So here I am buying a stealth game, a genre I typically don't like, in a franchise I've never actually played. A rather dumb decision on paper that only later really paid-off. I remember I bought this but didn't open the case for several days. It seemed like a big commitment at a time where I wasn't really into large time-consuming games. I was working part-time and going to college classes so I had very little time or energy to really indulge in a large world. Then one night, after working nine days straight because of weird circumstances, I said "fuck it" and booted it up. I was tired from the long work week but I had the following day off so why not try. To steal a phrase from Kyle Bosman, I can only describe my first night with this game as romantic. I don't think any game has hooked me as quickly as this one did with that opening song. I played for six hours straight the first night and I never do that. I remember the second mission so fondly. I was out of the tutorial and thrown into the big world of Afghanistan, which has easily become my favorite representation of the middle east landscape in any game. I had to save Kaz, my old war buddy who has been taken prisoner. I was so methodical in surveying the base where Kaz was located. Slowly crouch-walking around buildings and staying hidden from guard patrols. Trying to never engage with an enemy since I was only equipped with a tranquilizer that I didn't even touch that mission. Strangely, I actually used it almost exclusively for the rest of the game.

I never expected to enjoy a stealth game since I really dislike hiding. I hate waiting on enemy pathing and being forced to make tediously slow movement. But not this game. I play this game almost entirely non-lethal and rarely ever engage in combat unless absolutely necessary. When I finished the Kaz rescue I looked at the leaderboard that shows at the end of every mission, tallying up your score, and was amazed. I played that short mission for an hour. There was like one base and I only needed to rescue a single person. Before finishing that mission I would have thought it took me like twenty minutes. I was astonished how quickly I could be absorbed into that desert. How I could shut everything off and simply watch. I spent most of my time in this game just watching. Watching enemy movements, observing an outpost's entrances, and even just listening to two guards shoot the shit. I was trying to find the most opportune time to strike. There is a strange sense of exploration when invading a base in The Phantom Pain. The more work you do in reconnaissance, the better chance you'll find something helpful to the mission. Even if that is just a loosely guarded opening. Yeah there are a bunch of weapons, gadgets, and companions you can unlock that will help you out, but that's not how I like to play this game. The Mother Base stuff is interesting but that's not why I'm there. All I wanted was a tranquilizer pistol and unlimited time which the game affords me. There is an abundance of experimentation encouraged in this game. Few games allow for such freedom and can be as focused at the same time. You're goal is to enter a base, get the stuff and get out. There are many tools to accomplish this but in the end the choice is yours. Metal Gear Solid V is a exceptional open world in a year full of good open worlds.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number: This is it. This is my favorite game from the year 2015. I know you think I'm insane and you're probably right. Firstly, I would like to give a shout-out to Gamespot's review written by one Danny O'Dwyer. He echos a lot of my feelings with this game and a similar overall mindset. Now I adored the original Hotline Miami and think of it as one of my favorite games period. I have played it on three different platforms and beaten it several times. Every so often I will fire it up and either play five levels or play the whole thing through another time. I have received an A+ on every level, unlocked every mask, and earned that platinum trophy with pride. I am a rather huge fan of Hotline Miami as you can tell. So when Hotline Miami 2 came out I was very excited. I bought it twice on launch week. The first time on PC, because I find that to be the most enjoyable first experience playing the game, and on PS4 because that's where I like to do most of my gaming. I figured I'd replay it there in the future and probably get the platinum too. I read zero reviews and saw little to know gameplay pre-release which is something I rarely do. I didn't want to be influenced at all while playing this game.

Now during the first few levels I was ambivalent and confused about how I felt. It was very different to what I was expecting. However about a third through the game it all "clicked" with me. I realized I had to lose any expectations I had coming in and just experience this game for what it was. I had to give the game a real chance regardless of what I thought it would be. Wrong Number tells you to leave your assumptions at the door or get out. This is the most important thing to keep in mind when playing Hotline Miami 2. There is an interview with Jonatan Söderström, one of the developers, who says a similar sentiment. He says "As soon as they hit that spot where, 'this is not the same as the first game' they just turn to 'I don't like this'". It is a moment that will ultimately shape your final opinion on the game. I am willing to bet most people that played this game never did what I did. I think most people could never let go of their expectations and when Wrong Number decided to do something different, those people decided it wasn't what they wanted, prematurely. It wasn't what they were used to. And I can see where those people are coming from. If you wanted a melee focused sequel, this game is not that. The majority of this game is designed solely with guns in mind. If you wanted a ton of masks in every level that varied play style, this game is not for you. Each character has a different combat style, but for the most part you don't chose when you play as who.

Hotline Miami 2 seems like it is aimed for a specific type of person. A person even more niche than just liking the original game. This game appears to be aimed at a person like me, how convenient right? A person who has played a lot of the original and has become very good at that game. If I'm being honest, the original game is very easy for me now. I can beat most stages with only a handful of deaths each. Not that I'm a great player but I have learned how to really play it. Many others have too. Any melee weapon will suffice since I know I can rush an enemy and likely win. Like everyone, when I first played Hotline Miami I found it very challenging. It was new and I hadn't learned the rules yet. Difficulty was part of Hotline Miami's charm. There was a rhythm and pace in the original because of the difficulty. Difficulty is integral to the overall experience. So, inevitably, the sequel also had to be difficult and challenging. And honestly I don't think the game could have been hard if it allowed for melee weapons. I would argue most people played the original mainly with melee weapons. People have mastered melee weapons and thus solved the puzzle. Wrong Number knows that and forces you to use guns. You have to learn a new way to play or else fuck off. I think the shift to more gun focused combat was necessary and the only way to make it challenging again.

It is the natural evolution to go to after HM1. But also a sequel unlike most. Most video game sequels can be played without playing the first. Maybe you won't understand all of the story, but the actual game parts can be experienced without prior knowledge. At the beginning of the Mass Effect 2, for example, there are tutorials about how the dialog and combat systems work. There is a slow ramp up to how to use these mechanics. Nearly every sequel will assume you didn't play the first, that way new players can jump in. Every sequel is supposed to be bigger, better, and more inclusive to new players than the last game. Hotline Miami 2 is nothing like this. Hotline Miami 1 begins as most games, at like a 2 on the game's overall difficulty. Each level slowly ramps up higher and higher. Nearly every sequel does this too. The first mission of a sequel is always much easier than the last mission of the original. However Hotline Miami 2 begins at like an 11, right where the first game ended. The later levels of HM1 were big and open, something nearly everyone forgets, so HM2 just keeps going from there. Hotline Miami 2 expects you read the source material which I find incredibly refreshing. Look, I'm not an idiot. I understand why sequels are, how they are. But I still find it so bold and unique that a sequel can be solely directed to the hardcore fans and make something for them. On numerous occasions Dennaton, the developer, has said Wrong Number is for the fans and I think they really mean it. If you didn't like the game, I can understand that. But maybe it just wasn't for you.

I know I probably seem like I've been drinking the Kool-Aid and maybe I have. Maybe I'm just a huge fanboy who couldn't accept a disappointing sequel. I have definitely thought about it, but in the end I disagree. There are only a few games I regard as highly as the original Hotline Miami. Two of those games are GTA IV and Halo: Reach. And both of those games had sequels that I thought were lacking in comparison to the predecessors. In regard to those two, I think I was in fact more critical of the sequels because I loved the previous games so much. Finally, the reason I spent so much more time defending Wrong Number than actually praising why I love it, is because I love it. This game didn't get much talk around most outlets during GOTY so I thought I might as well give an opinion from someone who considers it his favorite game of the year.

Now, to quickly talk about why it's my GOTY. If Hotline Miami 1 is a psychedelic 80's acid trip, then Wrong Number is a grungy and grimy early 90's back alley fistfight. Everything about this game is apologetically dirty. The characters are brutal, psychotic, selfish, and out for blood. The levels are hard as hell and require you to be quick, smart, and devilishly fast with that trigger finger. This game will kick your teeth in just to watch you bleed. The levels are large and allow you no time to rest, which means you have to be on it all the time. And of course this is all accompanied by a stellar soundtrack that I listen to almost weekly. This time around, there is more of an overall plot that is intriguing and has a pretty great pay-off. I'll admit in the first third, the story can be cumbersome and hard to comprehend. Several characters are introduced before you have a real time to identify with a single one, but the story picks up later and goes in some unexpected places. With the unrelenting difficulty, heart-pumping soundtrack, and unsettling story, by the end I felt like I experienced a harrowing event. That game requires all of your senses and damn near all of your energy. And I was absolutely enamored by the whole thing. Few games have ever made me feel like that game did when I saw the credits. There was an afterglow to this game. For the next few weeks it's all I thought about. And honestly when I think about the Hotline Miami franchise, I think of both of these games together. Like a Hotline Miami Vol. 1 and 2. You probably wouldn't like two if you never played one and if you liked one you should at least try 2.

Let's Wrap This Shit Up Already

Okay, wow, this whole list became super long-winded and got out-of-hand fast. So I'm going to try to finish this up as neatly as I can. I guess this was a good year if I can write this much about only a few of the year's offerings. Now let's lightning-round this next part.

Honorable Mentions:

Not A Hero: Fast and loose in the best possible way. I can't wait until it comes to PS4 so I can really dig my teeth in.

Grim Fandango Remastered: Just as funny as everyone says it is but in all the unexpected ways. I had a FAQ open, but only used it when absolutely necessary; some puzzles are obtuse but many are doable which make them all the more satisfying.

Dying Light: I can't remember a lot of this game since it was a year ago when I played it. However, I do remember loving the parkour combat and the quest system was deeper than I expected. At the time I thought of it as a playable Fallout.

Okay everyone, thanks for reading however much of this as you did, I actually had a lot fun writing it. I don't usually do these things but thought GOTY time was a good a place as any. If anyone wants to tell me I'm wrong about something or link me to their GOTY lists hit me up.