Jordan is the host of the comedy podcast Fun Time Calls, he is a moderator of G4's Discord, and also has a Twitter where he posts "Goodnight Hamburger" every night before sleep.

Go to his website at jordanhass.com

Hello Friends, this is Jordan. Most likely you have no idea who the hell I am (and probably for good reason, but I don't know), this is a GAME OF THE YEAR list, my favorite time at Giant Bomb, but also, this is going to sadly be my last "listicle thing" for a while as I try and work on my own website and things. 2021 really did kick my ass, as it probably did most everybody.

As always, I am happy to give my thoughts about the year of gaming, give my ten games, and then probably hit send, never to be seen or heard from again. Just a vigilante vanishing in the night!

10. WarioWare : Get It Together!

When I look for a "Jordan Game", I always love those unique games that are easy to understand, silly enough and a bit innovative on their own. Wario Ware has always been that series for me, so something like Wario Ware this year was pretty fun, the main gimmick was using the characters and their abilities to do the microgames instead of just "easy controls", but in a very weird, meta way, it worked for me. Even though sometimes, I felt the characters were broken and the abilities Jank, it was well worth it.

9. Powerwash Simulator

There is always a game out there thats a comfort game, for me it's Fall Guys. There is also always that "relaxing game" for when games are too sensory overload, to just relax for a bit and get your mind off things, just like "American Truck Simulator", I put "Power Wash Simulator" in that same criteria. All you do is hose off a house, or a playground or a mars rover... there isn't monsters, there was an attempt at a haunted house, but overall, it's worth the money to just turn on, tune out and wash away your problems!

8. Phantom Abyss

I just want to state, for the record, I have not "won" a temple run yet in Phantom Abyss, I've gotten so close a couple times, but the rogue-like first-person temple run is just amazing for me, it has great Indiana Jones meets Legends of the Hidden Temple vibes, there is always an American-Gladiator style boss thats guarding the temple with an ability, and no matter how many times I failed, I still keep jumping back into this game.

7. Knockout City

I am by no means an esports guy, I am bad at most multiplayer games in general, but a game that really did suck me in this year was Knockout City, a multiplayer dodgeball game, the back-and-forth action of catching and rethrowing felt so close to "Windjammers" that I felt alive as I still wait for Windjammers 2 to arrive. With a really cool aesthetic of rockabilly future, it was also something really interesting through a 3 on 3 battle, where we try and get multiball.

I did however dip out, because like most multiplayer games, I eventually am not as good as everybody playing it for hours-and-hours each day, so i just get dinged and, whats the fun in that?

6. Hitman 3

Honestly, I forgot Hitman 3 came out in 2021. Hitman is just a really good series, and this one, while not "as polished" as the other two, still has amazing levels and puzzles to try and solve, and really fun things to look for. I am redownloading this game as I'm typing this, just to play it again because of a few levels i'm already getting nostalgic for.

5. Super Monkey Ball : Banana Mania

Yes, it's Monkey Ball 1 & 2 for gamecube, but available for Switch, Playstation and Xbox. No, I didn't really have fun with Monkey Target like I did on Gamecube, however, I really REALLY loved revisiting this game on my PC. Sometimes a quick Nostalgia to games from nearly 20 years ago is all that you need, and while I do wish for more levels, and a return to form. Monkey Ball was still just a fun game for several hours at a time I really needed it.

4. Jackbox Party Pack 8

Honestly, I love Jackbox Party Pack, but the fact this is the de-facto 'game to play over zoom during a pandemic', It did make me feel really uncomfortable going back to this game. Even though it's one of my favorite yearly events. There are five games, like every year. and each one a little quirky and fun. Here's my mini top 5 list within this top 10...

5) JobJob

Honestly, this game would probably be many people's "Number One" because all you do is write silly answers to questions, then take the words from the answers and make silly quiplash answers, so it becomes Poop poop fart fart vs penis penis sex joke penis. FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

4) Drawn & Quartered

A murder mystery where you have to hide a letter into a weapon, and make sure nobody knows how bad you draw, or what sort of fake guest you bring. It's an enjoyable game maybe twice, but once people are aware you hide a J somewhere, it's pretty obvious.

3) Drawful Animate

Drawful Animate is silly prompts but now you have two things to draw, one frame goes over the other so it can look like it's moving. Most of the time, you'll be bad at drawing, screw up and the animation set will have an arrow pointing at something and then the next frame a giant smiley face and everybody is left confused.

2) Poll Mine

There are barely any "team" games in Jackbox, but this is a game where everybody ranks things, then it's up to a team to figure out the order of the ranking, lots of conversations that can fit in most primetime game shows, but ultimately, nobody aces the quiz, and it becomes just random luck if your friends prefer Cowboy Bebop over Naruto in an anime ranking.

1) The Wheel of Enormous Proportions

It's a quiz game with RNG. That's it. There is pretty good variety of games such as guessing the number, true/false, multiple choice to keep it refreshing, but most of the time, you're stuck at the wheel, and then you try and get the 'you win' wedge only to lose because bad luck. my luck is bad, heads or tails i'll return to this one.

3. Mario Party Superstars

Now you can bring the Mario Party Party experience to ONLINE MULTIPLAYER! Yes, it's mostly the same mini games from the 3DS "Top 100", however, the online mode in this game has been very responsive and at no point did I feel a latency happen when somebody steals my star, or boo steals my coins, or a mini game tells me i picked the wrong plunger and go explode.

2. Forza Horizon 5

I never got game pass until this year. There is my secret I'm telling the world. However, HOWEVER, when modding the G4 Discord one of the hosts of XPlay, showed up and bullied me into getting game pass AND playing Forza Horizon 5. And I can not thank her enough for it. THANKS FROSK!

Forza is filling in a void I missed with Burnout Paradise. While it isn't fully destructable cars, and turbo is seldom used. It's very awesome hearing an in-game voice over say "Jordan" and a few mini games involving jumping a long distance or getting into a monster truck and going around a course, are just over-the-top in a way that I felt right at home this year playing it.

Sometimes bullying a friend works out?

FIVE GAMES I MISSED OUT ON, BUT THINK ARE NEAT

Before we get to my "Game of the Year", here are five games I missed out on, but I do think they are neat and will explain a bit why.

5) RIDERS REPUBLIC

I liked Steep, I want more games like Steep. This filled in that void. I don't know if it's on GamePass, but when that day happens, I'm downloading it. I want to smash my avatar's spine into a quarter pipe and hear a celery stalk sound effect!

4) CRUSIN' BLAST

I have played this. I just did not want to put it in my Top 10, because I felt that while it has Arcade gameplay, it is one of those games that is literally just a "rental" type of game, I played enough of it to get my fill, but it's not worth the price point currently, however that theme song is a real banger. LETS GO CRUSIN'!

3) INSCRYPTION

In an ideal world where I can handle spooky and jumpscare horror asethetics, Inscryption would be not just a classic "Jordan Game", but it will be in this Top 10, everything about this game from gameplay I have seen, fits all my criteria of what makes for a really good game. However, I DON'T LIKE SPOOKY, SO I NEVER PLAYED IT. And therefore I can't justify putting it in my Top 10. However, if you like spooky, and you like card games with meta storytelling. THIS IS THE GAME!

2) DEATHLOOP

I really like Deathloop, I bought Deathloop, but bad news friends, my computer can't play Deathloop. Luckily this year I did get a Series S for Christmas, so I think, knock on wood, I have a good enough console to PLAY Deathloop and have some enjoyment trying to do an FPS version of Mega Man, where I kill a baddie, take their trait and use it to the next villain, before some rando blows me up and I die.

1) RESIDENT EVIL : VILLAGE

Going back to the "Horror Game"/"I don't like Spooky" from earlier, RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE. I didn't play this, I watched a long play video, I skipped all the spooky jumpscares, the spooky doll area, the vampire lady people were a little TOO thirsty for. But wanted to get that story about Ethan, Chris, Rose and the town itself. Through all the spooky story, it's really a story about Chris trying to protect a family, and Ethan's attempt to keep his together. It is really story-rich, which is not something I expected to say because this is the franchise that had one of it's characters punch a boulder.

1. Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is my Game of the Year. Yes, the multiplayer is a bit more like modern-day multiplayer with Battle Passes, Yes, the campaign did need a bit more tightening up and sometimes, getting shot in a hallway battle lead to throwing the controller.

But, something about this game, just felt "right", at least to me.

It seems lately, we've gotten into a real NOSTALGIA ride, Ghostbusters was in theaters, G4 has returned, Legends of the Hidden Temple and Supermarket Sweep got rebooted, people really in a Dune kick, The Matrix, Space Jam... we can continue this IP Funko Pop Economy talk later. But, sometimes there are games where the moment you pick it up, you just feel like you're at a great place. When Halo was really at it's peak, I was in high school, so a game like this really took me back to the time I said no to prom, but said yes to Halo. The Halo 2 launch that lead to people ditching, but I didn't get it until after school later that day, THAT kind of flashback experience.

Halo, the franchise, didn't really steer away from what made it such a fun Multiplayer game. Halo never really diverged in it's storylines, it's still "halo is broken, hey green guy stop them from doing a bad" like a Star Wars.

Do people still like Star Wars? Of course they do.

The only negative I have about Halo Infinite - I preordered the game for $60 BEFORE getting game pass. I didn't know it was going to Game Pass. I screwed up. Whoops. But that doesn't mean I am not having a fantastic time with Halo Infinite, even if it means losing 40 times before getting that one single W.

I hope this year, through the 40 or so loses you have, you can get that one win in your life!

I thank the Giant Bomb community for having this small platform to do this kind of article, even if I think only three people read it.

And while this might be my last one, I really hope to return someday to talk about the good things going on!

See ya later, duders!

~Jordan

Jordan Hass is a writer, podcaster and sometimes meme master on the Twitter Dot Com and the Award Winning Podcast, Fun Time Calls.

He has no other projects going on as of the time of this recording (December 7th, 2020)

I have no idea what to expect with this year's game of the year choices. I honestly expect the same stuff year after year. "OH THIS YEAR SUCKED SO MUCH, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WILL GET BETTER" but I said that about 2019, and 2018, and 2017, and 2016, and 2015, and 2014... maybe we are just burning ourselves out.

But you know, while 2020 was the year of COVID-19, encouragement of wearing masks, social distance and washing your hands. It was also an encouragement to others to maybe, just maybe, do stuff at home. Like, for instance, play video games.

Now, more than any other time in history. Did we need video games. And while some people were using video games for STEM-Education, or to have group meetings in Animal Crossing : New Horizons. Others made the best out of a bad situation, and decided "Actually, Why Not Discord Meetings Instead of Zoom" so they can distract themselves with a comedy gaming server. I saw you!

For my selection of 2020 games, I had to go through a bit of criteria, it must have been released in 2020 (Sorry "Among Us" fans, while it did become the go-to Streaming Sensation game, you should've plugged it two years ago!) And I had to own a copy, and physically play it, so I'm sorry but all you doofuses hoarded the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5s that I couldn't actually review the quality of such touchstones as "Cyberpunk 2077" which I am sure as today was the day of releases, got plenty of 5 out of 5s, and anybody pointing out bugs and glitches and errors and not at all whiny baby gamers upset about any 4 out of 5s or 9 out of 10s because of these grave errors.

Certainly, we've grown up, haven't you heard? G4TV is coming back!

And as they used to say on X-Play back in the day - It's Game Time.

10. Cloudpunk

I hate to say this game is "boring", because it might bring up bad connotations, but this game is actually "boring" in a very chill, relaxing way. Essentially, this is part of a new genre of gaming called "Postmates Simulation" (See: Death Stranding, Totally Reliable Delivery Service) where in the not-so-distant-future, you are given delivery runs in a gig economy to build up your stats, and in certain times, maybe get a nugget of a storyline.

Cloudpunk is one of those games. However, along the way you get one of the greatest soundtracks to come out this year. It's not just "lo-fi beats to study" it's "lo-fi beats to transport what might be human organs". And through a chaotic year, it's a great game to just "relax for a bit and enjoy"

9. Goofballs

There is a 97.75% chance you never heard of this game. It's a free game, you can learn more about it on their website. Southern Methodist University's Game Design Program let's their students create projects under their umbrella to better understand what goes into Game Development. In an effort to help them get into the gaming industry.

And if you want to know the quickest way to win my heart as a student project? Create a simple party game. I hate to say "Rogue-like" with this game, because it's all randomly generated, but it's not really difficult to understand - the courses are all random from the track to the field, to even the ball, you might get a bowling ball or a beach ball or a shuttlecock, who knows!

But that sort of randomized gameplay, mixed with a frantic "put the ball in the hole-goal" fun, makes it very enjoyable. And I hope all the students wind up making the next weirdly fun game with friends.

8. Bugsnax

Bunger? Bunger Bunger Bunger Bunger Bunger Bunger Bunger...

Bugsnax is one of the more original games I have played this year. I love the idea of "munch monsters" and all the wordplay with food and creative ideas such as "Fryder" (The French Fry Spider) and "Chillynilly" (The Ice Cream Sandwich).

One thing I did not expect with this game, is the overlaying arc of depression and sadness and the reasons people went to Snaktooth Island, from hiding their relationship with family, to feeling like a failure in business, to Imposter Syndrome.

It made the best it could with a limited time window, like Pokemon Snap, Ape Escape and a bit of Kind Words thrown in there for good measure.

7. Watch Dogs : Legion

The video game that remembered for that hot moment when "NPC" was used as an insult and then decided to make a game where "What if the NPCs WERE the main characters!" And that is honestly one of the strongest game mechanics in this game.

The London of the future is very bleek, as would any "technology overtakes our lives" stories, but how it handles puzzle elements and strategies to completing missions is still very interesting, even if it gets frustrating at selective times (News Drone in the Spooky Abandoned Building)

But what I love about this game is you could play it passive and just taze the enemies, or if you just want to say "screw this", play as the bounty hunter and just start mowing down enemies with your Automatic Rifle, they really don't care how you play.

I really hope you enjoy riding drones for twelve hours.

6. Murder By Numbers

Any chance I can to play Picross, I am taking it. Murder By Numbers is a cross between a detective show, Phoenix Wright, and Mario's Picross.

Fill in the puzzles to figure out the item, that will be used as evidence to talk to people about a murder.

It also has one great anime-style opening.

I'm not kidding. It's fantastic. SCOUT might be one of my favorite new characters of 2020. I love that weird robot.

5. Jackbox Party Pack 7

Another year, another "Jackbox Makes The List" and yet again, another mini ranking of Jackbox Games. (because of course I would) But this time around, I am going to rank them in order of potato chips.

Pringles Pickle Rick - The Devils And The Details

It's a game where the gimmick is you talk over each other to do tasks, it makes for lousy streaming, and it gives you a headache after day one, but you still have to complete three days of it. Cooperation!

Baked Cheetos White Cheddar - Talking Points

Hey, do you like Improv Comedy? You know that funny game where the improv actor has to make up a TedTalk while unprepared stuff airs behind them on a powerpoint, don't worry Impractical Jokers did that Season 2. What if you get to do it? While it is a funny game, it's best played with people who have microphones and can talk with you over Skype, Discord or Zoom. This means do not play this with your friends on Twitch, because it'll just be you talking to a wall for a half hour. And that's not fun for anybody, especially the wall.

Lay's Sour Cream & Onion - Champ'd Up

The usual "there needs to be a drawing game" is here, and in this one, you just have to create a character that fits an adjective. That's it. Best thing that fits the adjective wins. Make a cardboard box, make Papa Vinny, who cares, most likely you'll draw a penis and get a cheap laugh and win anyway.

French Onion Sun Chips - Blather Round

This is honestly, my favorite to play in the Jackbox Party Pack, and should be on top of the list. But I figure this ranking isn't just my favorite games to play, but ones that will make the most out of your Jackbox Party Pack 7 Purchase. Blather Round is like a throwback "Guessing Game" like Taboo or Outburst, but it's with limited clues and limited help and it's a very funny to play, and really, the safest game to play with your family this year. Trust me, play this with the kids.

Zapp's Voodoo Fire - Quiplash 3

I still have no idea why Quiplash is so much fun to play, but it just works. This time around, they finally fixed the final round with a "triplash" that follows classic comedy rule of threes, and the prompts are very clever this year, once again, you can make your own prompts (if you want to be silly) or install new packs that the jackbox team created, which is a real throwback, because updates to the game that's free? Normally you'll have to pay $5 for this kind of DLC Pack! (Please don't do that Jackbox)

4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2

This was a nostalgia purchase, obviously. I can't think of that many people who bought this game, who have never played the original Tony Hawk games for Playstation One (or Nintendo 64).

But this was a Tony Hawk Game done right. This was the Tony Hawk game fans of the series have wanted for over a decade and got, even though it's merely just a reboot of the classic thing.

But then again, they brought back Supermarket Sweep this year, another classic thing people remember from the 1990s and it turned out that was great too!

So for me, turning this on for the first time, I was very hesitant. I've been burnt by Tony Hawk HD and Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5. But as an honest writer, I will admit, I did tear up playing Warehouse with these super updated graphics.

It took me to that time in your childhood when you got home from school and played video games, and not that much to care about, not that much stress in life. And the only stressful thing you can have is screwing up your 200,000 point combo with twelve seconds left on the clock.

The gameplay was seamless, the controls were timeless, and yes, I still couldn't complete Roswell. I'm bad at video games. But that doesn't mean I can't get nostalgic over this one.

3. Fuser

Harmonix has done it again! Fuser might be my favorite music and rhythm game, ever created. I love it more than Guitar Hero, love it more than Rock Band and love it even more than Twitch Sings, yes Twitch Sings.

Something about this game and your ability to unlock songs and remix music and playing tracks, much like Drop Mix gives it a great vibe, but the way you can eventually just unlock every song (and then return to the good ol' days of buying music at a couple dollars a track) brightened up my day.

You can be a musical equivalent of a shitposter, and mix "All Star" by Smash Mouth with "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley and "The Numa Numa Song" (Dragostea Din Tei) or you can actually try and make something really amazing with "Blinding Lights" by The Weekend with "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa and maybe even sprinkle in a little "Regulate" by Warren G for good measure.

This is a perfect, PERFECT, vibe game. While we are stuck at home away from nightclubs and dance parties, picking up this game will give you the closest thing to a great night out, order a couple pizzas, stream the game with friends and make it a night!

2. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

You ever just SEE a video game that you feel might've been created especially for you? I think that's exactly what Mediatonic did when they came up with "Battle Royale Game, But Instead of First Person Shooter, We Made it It's a Knockout at Takeshi's Total Wipeout Castle Elimination Challenge"

You can dress up as a hamburger and go through an obstacle course, to try and not be eliminated by either coming in last in race challenges or falling into the yoplait strawberry yogurt infinite void.

What I love about this game is when a new season starts, and there are all sorts of new levels to play with, that everybody is on equal footing to figuring out the pattern so everybody has a chance. What I don't like about this game is when the season is near completion that if you are new to the game, you'll most likely lose because you are still trying to learn how to jump from a See-Saw but everybody else is "stratting" by hitting the big bonk and flying into the finish line.

While it is still a work in progress, it is one of those games where I will admit to playing more than any other game this year, even though I think I only won maybe 10 times out of possibly 500 games?

Like I said, I'm not good at video games.

BEFORE WE GET TO NUMBER ONE...

Here are a few games I played this year, and didn't put on this list, with a few reasons.

Kirby Fighters 2 - Kirby was made for hugging, not fighting.

Animal Crossing : New Horizons - It's nothing but grinding.

Among Us - Remember what I said about it being from 2018?

Super Mario 3D All Stars - I was so disappointed, you have no idea.

Teardown - I stepped on a Lego before writing this GOTY list and wanted to enact revenge.

Ghostrunner - Reminded me too much of Mirror's Edge that I played Mirror's Edge instead.

NBA 2K21 - Kobe would've hated the PC Edition.

Super Mario Bros. 35 - I never won and I'm petty.

Death Stranding - The PC Edition was Okay, I Guess

WWE 2K Battlegrounds - I played the game once and expected Wrestlefest and instead got Celebrity Deathmatch for Playstation 2.

NOW THE NUMBER ONE GAME

1. Hades

You know probably by the time this list goes out, there will be at least two dozen Unlicensed Zagreus Body Pillows available for sale, and I would probably want to preorder a couple of them.

Hades is my jam, that game that filled that Devil May Cry itch I needed, but also, have this unique art-style that gives it a cross between Saturday Morning Cartoon and Visual Novel that I just love.

Every character feels like they have their purpose in the game, from Hypnos being this tiresome companion to offer inane advice like "Don't Die" as if they were the embodiment of GamePro "Protips", to Ares trying to offer words of encouragement like a football coach at the 4th Quarter, to your very disappointed father, Hades, who has no time to play with his son, but all the time in the world for work.

And of course, Cerberus, they are a good boy.

A very, very good boy.

The combat in this game is so amazing, while it's quick to say "Rogue-like" and call it a day. Much like Tony Hawk, it threw me back to the days of playing Gauntlet Legends by myself because I had no friends and was so lonely, but there was wave after wave of enemies in these dungeons.

But also, the decision-making in the game, which door do you want to go? Do you want cosmetics after this run, or do you want to get some coins for a shop that's three rooms in, but you don't know yet?

It's random maze design, it's character design, it's soundtrack, all of it are just a simple pleasure. You will have a crush on just about every character in the game from Aphrodite to Dionysus, to that spooky ghost shop skeleton guy. What a hunk!

Plus, it offers this amazing overlaying storyline of hope and encouragement. At first you think a failed run is failure, but by playing it a few times, it leads you more into the story, how those around you can help, and ultimately, how to get through that goal. You think it's the true definition of insanity of trying the same thing over and over expecting a different result, and the game points it out, but when you get that mid-boss completed or if you survive until the end.

You can't help but want to return to the game. Eventually you become so good it takes you a couple hours to complete this quest, and even then, sometimes you still fail because of a misstep or falling into lava.

And instead of getting annoyed or pissed off, you still feel rewarded, you don't feel discouraged to continue and you know that next adventure is just a button press away.

I hope you all have a great 2021, with a bunch more games, but please don't forget about all the games that came out this year, as much as we all want to forget about 2020, the games we've seen were amazing.

And, we will miss you, Alex Trebek. You amazing game show host!

Jordan Hass is the host of "Game Shows, I Suppose" a podcast all about game shows, as well as "Fun Time Calls" a podcast... that's it.

I gotta be honest with you fine folks, as I am writing this, I am sort of in a very "dazed and confused" state. The reason I am putting up my list now, is simply put - I am pretty sure my list won't be anybody's. I did not play any of the real "go to" choices, I didn't play Death Stranding, I didn't play Sekiro or Pokemon Sword/Shield. Simply put, I suck as a consumer of these video games. Did you know Kingdom Hearts III came out this year? I had not that much time to play a battle royale game, which I am told are "still popular". Anyway, here are some of my favorites of the year, and a COUPLE HONORABLE MENTION

Halo : Reach (PC)

I would put "Master Chief Collection" on this list, but the truth is - only Halo Reach is out right now, and I suck at the multiplayer, and there is spawn camping and all the stuff that made me hate Halo near the end of the cycle. But as long as there is Forge Mode, I am happy.

Return of the Obra Dinn

This is the game that really fell under my fingers this year, I did not play it, I am gonna play it, I just need time. Damn It, I Just Need Time. I wish I can say more about this game, but I know if I dig deeper, I'll be spoiled, and I know this is next on my "playlist" (but damn it, priorities)

ANYWAY TIME FOR GAMES!

10. Hypnospace Outlaw

This year was the game that was all about late 90s nostalgia, but not only that, it was one of the funniest games out this year. I really enjoy playing "Internet Cop" and getting rid of the bad midi websites. It also reminds me, a good world away from internet harassment is possible, but unfortunately, money.

9. Later Alligator

This reminds me of "The Simpsons: Virtual Springfield" for a cartoon series I have never seen. But unlike Virtual Springfield, it has a mystery to unravel and a ton of jokes about modern point and click adventure games, as well as the Yakuza series, and isn't that what you want? Don't you want a Majima Alligator?

8. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

I like this dorky Link. I spent most of my Halloween playing this game with little to no people knocking on my door asking for candy, I never played the original, but I saw a kirby-based monster, and to me, that makes this also a Kirby Game. Two for One!

7. Planet Zoo

I really don't know much about running a Zoo. But I do know Planet Coaster was one of my favorite simulator games to come out in a while, and this was a game I did not really think I would enjoy. But between maintaining animals and exhibitor interest, it really made for a fascinating game. They have an Arctic pack out now where you can see a virtual polar bear before they go extinct because of climate change.

6. Jackbox Party Pack 6

Another year, another Jackbox Party Pack, this year's pack was full of games that can best be described as "things I did in improv class" mixed with a few other games. Here is my rankings

1st - Joke Boat

Essentially, Improv Suggestions Make Hack Jokes like "my life is a lot like ____" but I would say, is the closest we got to a "Tee KO" this pack, it does get tiresome after a while.

2nd - Trivia Murder Party 2

This is the one that would most likely be your favorite, answer trivia questions, fail and play a deadly game, jump scares, wacky surprises, you ARE the father!

3rd - Push The Button

This game is fun if everybody is on call or present at your party, otherwise, you are stuck in a real boring game of "figure out the alien from the few prompt games", it's a great version of warewolf, where the aliens just have to blend in, and leaders get challenged constantly.

4th - Role Models

This is a game that's good if you are only playing with people you know. It's really tough to figure out which one is the "SAVED BY THE BELL" of the group, and predict who is who. I am NOT the Grumpy Cat.

5th - Dictionarium

It's a game I nearly fell asleep to. It's essentially a create-a-word, create-a-definition game, that feels like originally balderdash or fibbage 4 that became this linguistics based game that most likely ends up being weak-ass cards against humanity prompts like penis or poop or urine or semen. ha ha ha ha love to have fun.

5. Untitled Goose Game

The goose is bad, but the game is also wholesome as well. There really isn't any "fail" conditions that much so you can try multiple times in this stealth game, to do the actions, and have a few jokes along the way. People love the bad goose. Honk, my friend, Honk.

4. Layton's Mystery Journey

You might be saying "Jordan, this game already came out, why are you putting a game that's old on your list, if you excluded Halo Reach"

Well that's a good question . . .

I like puzzle games, and there isn't really that many fun puzzle games out this year? I'll play this again when i have a few minutes of free time.

3. Devil May Cry 5

I LOVE MY DEMON BOYFRIENDS!

Also, Devil May Cry 5, in my mind, was also a home run, much like DmC. This was a continuation of the Nero saga, but the introduction of V made it fun as well. Also, you still air juggle the demons. That's always fun! Bang Bang, pull my devil trigger.

2. The Coin Game

This game really wasn't shown on Giant Bomb this year, but I gotta tell ya, this game that's currently in early access, is one of my favorite chill-out games of the year. As somebody who would most likely blow through hundreds of dollars at a Dave & Busters, this saves me so much money while giving me that ticket-grabbing fix. And yes, you can win a rasta banana. Any game with a rasta banana deserves a top 3 placement.

1. Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker was my game of the year a few years ago, and this one continues that legacy by being my game of the year this year. Sure, the online multiplayer is sluggish, but I am not here to play competitively. I am here to see what my friends created and share my levels with friends and watch them complete it. My favorite games are the ones that let you share and create, and Mario Maker 2 lets you do all the stuff in the previous game, but with more bullshit gimmicks as well, if that's what you want.

I wish I could've played CONTROL, but I had to catch up on All Elite Wrestling, I expect big things with this "Kenny Omega" person.

Jordan Hass is a comedy writer, sometimes actor and host, and can be found most likely at your local 7-eleven enjoying a big gulp and big bite hot dog. He's @ jordha on twitter, and can also be found mostly online at JordanHass.com

Wow, I can't believe it, we did it everybody, we survived another year, unless of course you are (NAME TWO DEAD CELEBRITIES FROM THIS YEAR - Editor). Anyway, like every year, we have had some ups and downs. Some good and bad, really rough things like hurricanes and wildfires, and somehow survived enough to say "well, i might as well write about video games to a few people"

I should preface this by saying, I didn't really play much this year. I think this year, I really had to take a step back, if you were logging my hours on PS4, you would see I played "Netflix" more than any of these titles.

Does that make me a bad person? Well sorry, you haven't seen Ultimate Beastmaster.

Some games, like Red Dead Redemption 2, I didn't really enjoy that much, even though I understand it's audience who would enjoy it. I also didn't feel like picking God of War or Monster Hunter, because I didn't play them, and don't want to lie to the public.

10. Fortnite for Switch

Fortnite Battle Royale has become a culturally significant game in popular culture, from it's ability to make people floss in real life, to it's simple way of making battle royale games fun. The game barely came out last year, but the Switch version did come out this year, as a free-to-play. And I think I spent so many hours on that version than any other version. I really love the idea of taking fortnite with me to a starbucks and getting victory royales while sipping on frappes. (EDITOR'S NOTE: He has yet to get a victory royale)

9. Burnout Paradise Remastered

Hey! Hey! You! You! Burnout Paradise is still good. Yes, it is considered "Game of the Generation" by many, but to me, a rerelease of a game typically ends up being bad, but I still have so much fun smunching my cars into walls that it's just a sign i am a bad driver, and also the graphics of this beautiful game hold up. Gone are the ads for Burger King, but if you love to donut and drift, I think no other racing game can beat Burnout Paradise. Now can someone tell me how to disable the playstation camera so nobody online can see me nude when they deliver a takedown?

8. Detective Pikachu

Don't watch the anime until you've read the Manga.

Detective Pikachu is coming soon in theaters, looking like a modern day Howard the Duck, but yet, amazing. And Detective Pikachu for Nintendo 3DS was a great mystery game. I will be honest, I remember playing this game, but I forgot most of the plot points other than the pikachu talked and that was really cool.

The mini games to gather clues was a great touch, and I hope we see more from this spin-off of the Pokemon Franchise. This is the better Pokemon game this year, sorry to my let's go eevee/pikachu fam.

7. Kirby Star Allies

Koybee! He is shaped like a friend and is a socialist icon. In Kirby Star Allies you can play with friends though fun kirby levels, or by yourself if you are lonely and sad like me. Kirby Star Allies reminds me so much of the great SNES Kirby games of before, but with a modern Nintendo Switch twist in it's ability to be portable. All aboard the Friend Train as you run over bad guys, or send them hearts and be your friend.

Which is a nice way of saying, we are all deserving of love, let's show that love!

6. Warioware Gold

Wario Ware has always been near and dear to my heart. It was the game I played when graduating middle school and feeling very lost. Wario Ware was a game that taught me it was okay to be weird. Gold gives me the best of the touch, twisted and original wario ware, and repackages the game that's nostalgia for long-time fans of the franchise, but a fantastic introduction for those wanting to get into the franchise as well.

From picking noses to drawing circles, it's a ridiculous game, but a real fun time.

5. Tetris Effect

This game might be what an acid trip feels like. I have never been on acid, but I have played this game. It's tetris, you've played tetris, but it also provides this sensory environment that, as strange as it is to say, you 'feel' the game. Yes you are dropping L shapes and I shapes to make lines, but the rhythm and the soundtrack makes the experience more like Rez than it does your fond memories of Tetris. It really is the best Tetris game, and it is something worth experiencing.

4 Super Mario Party

Mario Party is a great franchise and I will beat anybody at Mario Party, you give me a time and a place, and pay for travel expenses!

Super Mario Party is a near perfect Mario Party, while I did not care much for each character having different dice (because that means eventually some mathmatics expert can tell you who the best character to play on per map is)

The shining star on this edition is the Mini-Game collection, to me, the map and the star grabbing is bullshit. That's RNG, the real fun comes from the mini-games, and the fact you can do online games with friends with just the mini-games is refreshing.

Yes, i understand the need for board. But it's a great first start.

I just like the motion controls, sizzling a cube steak, shaking candy from a jar, fun times.

3. Jackbox Party Pack 5

Every year I put Jackbox Party Pack on. While last year, I disliked the party pack for being a little TOO much addicted to twitch streamers and conventions, Jackbox Party Pack 5 did dial it back a bit, and met somewhere in the middle to make possibly one of the best packs out there.

Here is the ranking from best-to-worst in jackbox party pack 5

3a: You Don't Know Jack: Full Stream

As a long time fan of You Don't Know Jack from it's days of Nate Shapiro and Guy Towers as hosts, to "The Netshow" to it's reboot. Jack has always had the spot close to my heart. In this version, it's back to basics, as Cookie is the host, and the storyline is about Binjpipe taking control of the show (and you) as you play the game show where high culture and pop culture collide! The best part is Gibberish Question returning, and a nice subtle remark about the dangers of omnious tech corporations!

3b: Mad Verse City

If you have the right people, this is the best improv game in the pack, because all you have to do is rhyme, but if you can do a diss track, it's also great. From the soundtrack, to the way they sync to the rap, it's a very interesting game. The worst is if you can't rhyme, because you picked "Anvil" as your word, and have to say "Advil" as your rhyme, because you had 43 seconds left to think of a rhyme.

3c: Patently Stupid

This is the game to show your friends in improv class. Get your friends to come up with problems (suggestions from crowd) then draw your idea, title and slogan and present it. It's a great warm-up for improv if you are going into it with characters in mind, but also, just a fun game altogether incorporating drawing with talking your way into winning.

3d: Split The Room

Some people will say THIS is the game that is the best of the pack, however, if the name of the game is "Split the Room", you'll either need to make sure you have enough people to fill all 8 slots AND the audience, or have a nice odd amount (5/7) to incorporate "The Super Split" which is what the game should be about (The cat also munches the room, and that's very cute!)

3e: Zeeple Dome

As always, one game must be the "experimental" game of the pack, and that was ZeepleDome, a game that has no trivia, no drawing, no comedy, it's part angry birds and part color coordination. Get your ball to hit an enemy of the same color and blow up and win money. That's it. I find it good to play while waiting for friends to stop by at a party.

2. Marvel's Spider-Man

This is my favorite Spider-man game. This might be my favorite SUPERHERO game. This is a game with a living, breathing new york, with so many side-missions, and a story involving Mary Jane, Aunt May, and later on Miles Morales. I haven't had this much fun in a video game in quite a long time. Unlocking costumes is a neat touch as each suit also has a power, and the quips, while eventually repeats, doesn't take away from the fight system.

The best part about this game is the JJJ radio show, as it is no different than modern day pundit radio. And the only frustrating thing is completing all the Taskmaster Missions in Gold (that's the only thing left I need to get platinum!)

1. Hitman 2

Hitman 2 is more of the stuff you liked in Hitman. The locations are different, the targets are different, but the core gameplay remains the same, the ability to throw bootleg doctor pepper cans at randos is still important, distracting people with coins is still around, and it's just a magnificent game. To me, it's a great game if you ever need to waste maybe an hour playing something. That's enough for one mission, and then you're off having a good time. The elusive targets are back, and the DLC pack featuring maps from Hitman 1 make this a great extended edition to a great game.

I'll see you in 2019, the last of this bad decade, as I try and become a brand ambassador or social media influencer or some other hokey garbage name that just translates to "corporate sell-out"

UPDATE: 12/23/2018:

SUPER SMASH BROTHERS SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST, BUT I LOCKED IN MY LIST EARLY

I am not good at fighting games, I am pretty bad actually, but I decided to buy it, and I completed the adventure mode and really love the spirits and their win conditions, adding to a challenge. My favorite character is kirby, I also like jigglypuff, jigglypuff is cute. However, I can't really put this on the list, as I have foolishly locked-it-in before the game came out. I don't know what game would replace it, as Fortnite is still a ton of fun, Maybe Detective Pikachu? Maybe Burnout Remastered? I do not know.

But I should probably buy the DLC,

I should also probably buy the DLC for Pinball FX 3

I should also probably buy the DLC for Planet Coaster (Chief Beef FTW)

I should also probably buy the Spider-Man DLC.

In fact, I am missing on so much DLC.

Also, I should probably buy that Star Wars Episode 1 Podracer game now that it's on Steam.

I am missing on a bunch of things, but I just blew through a few hundred dollars in presents, and just got a gaming PC in advance!

Jordan Hass is a comedy writer, stand-up comedian and lover of hot sauce. He was not asked to write a Game of the Year list for Giant Bomb. He is on twitter @jordha and has a website called JordanHass.com where he should probably post headshots and his awesome Black Mirror spec-scripts, but instead writes about bullshit.

2017. A year, most people would say was garbage, just like the year before that, and the year before that. But this year, at least in terms of video games, we saw innovations in both software and in hardware. The Nintendo Switch launch was lackluster, but throughout the summer, has seen some pretty impressive first-party and third-party titles. But as that was going on, there was just so many OTHER games to play, and not only that, but movies and television and fads that we should probably take some time to remember...

I should preface this list by saying - I didn't complete most of the games on this list. If completion of a game is of utmost importance, then I should probably rewatch old episodes of "Chuck" to find out if Season 3 was any good, before ragging on it.

I also did not play such favorites as Nier: Automata, Golf Story or even Resident Evil . Probably for the best too, as the moment i would get jump scared, I would smash the crap out of the device and quit video games for a good length of time. Anyway, let's get on with our fun list!

10. Just The Fibbage Parts of Jackbox Party Pack 4

Look, I am a huge fan of Jackbox Games. This year has shown a TON of competition, from That's You to Use Your Words and while some have novelty like Hidden Agenda, the Jackbox Party Pack tends to be the gold standard for "Mobile Device game controller party games". But this year, had a bunch of misses. Survive the Internet is best played with people who know you well enough to make it embarrassing, Bracketeering is best played with 4, 8 or 16 players, as any odd numbers make it jarring, Civic Doodle is a fun pass-and-play, but feels too long, and Monster Seeking Monster is a strategy game that just doesn't make sense, even when you figure out what all the characters do. But Fibbage 3 (and in some ways Fibbage Enough about You) is still the best game created by Jackbox, besides Quiplash and Drawful. You get to fill in the blank with fun trivia facts, and try and psyche others out with silly answers as well. Yes, it's more Fibbage, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

2017 was not all bad, as "Wonder Woman" was in theaters, Gal Gadot did an amazing job as Diana Prince, and we got to see Paradise Island, and her fighting a war, and I still can't figure out the last act of the movie, but hey, we waited for a Wonder Woman movie for years, and now we finally got one, and it was actually good!

9. Mario Party: The Top 100

Mario Party: The Top 100 is the only 3DS game I have put on this list, not just because it's the ONLY 3DS game I played this year, it's also because I am probably the only person who didn't own a Nintendo 3DS during the entirety of that console launch. But anyway, back to the Mario Party.

There are two kinds of people - people who like Mario Party, and people who are wrong. People who think Mario Party is about the "Board Game" aspect, and People who think Mario Party is about the "Mini Game" aspect. I am on team "Mini Game", while I am sure someone out there, masochistically, would try and do a 50-turn run of the board game, when all that's necessary, is the mini-games themselves.

Mario Party is in some ways a game of skill, but some of the mini-games included in Top 100 are pretty much Russian Roulette. I have no idea who thought they were deserving of "The Top 100 Mini Games", but it makes me wonder if we can finally get some sort of Online Mario Party for the Nintendo Switch this year!

Hey, did you know there was a good Sonic the Hedgehog game this year called Sonic Mania? I know, I was surprised too. A wonderful tribute to fans of Sonic the Hedgehog (with fun easter eggs like the SegaSonic Popcorn Machine to Daytona USA). In a world of fantastic games this year, Sonic Mania would be on many Top 10 lists this year, but with so many fantastic games this year. It was tough to exclude it, especially on this list. As it turns out, if you make something out of a labor of love, you might see that love returned to you 10 fold. From a simple fan-service game, to now considered in the Top 5 of Sonic Games, it's a winner.

8. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

I really wanted to put this game higher on the list. There is just something therapeutic about being able to not just punch a nazi, but stab a nazi, shoot a nazi, use a hook and gauge a nazi, among other cruel, yet desirable things.

In a reality of 2017 that "everything is political", it's good to see a game not only hammer-home that "nazis are bad", but to even flip the script, and make them out to be bumbling idiots, and ignorant assholes that you typically find trying to bait you into a flame war on Twitter.

Wolfenstein excels in it's story-telling, providing fun easter eggs to long-time fans of the FPS series, but also plays up it's else-worlds story to a comical degree. Feeling more like "Man in the High Castle" than it does "'Allo 'Allo!".

Speaking of "getting political" -

Video Games, for most of us, are used as entertainment, to get away from the doomed reality that we've developed. But if it's one thing I learned this year, especially in January 2017 with the Women's March - it's that even if the world is chaotic, when there is problems, people will speak up, in volumes, to make that change. Others, like actual fucking nazis, would do it to strike fear to minorities, but this year, nobody is taking any of that garbage.

That event spoke louder than any video game, and it shows that we can get better.

7. Injustice 2

I just realized, after talking about an inspirational moment in history, I have to try and find a way to pivot it to a fighting game that could involve punching Captain Cold punching Supergirl, so, that.. sucks.

This year was a great year for Fighting Games, with Marvel vs Capcom Infinite and Tekken 7 among others. But Injustice is still my go-to fighting game in recent times. Yes, there is a bit of DC Comics biased with this, but for some reason, I am entranced by the game's storymode and it's ability to not change the roster that much, but still provide something different.

While I do not like the cosmetic advances to the game, the special move cut-scenes are always a blast to watch.

Even if you don't really care for the show, it was a big year for fans of Rick and Morty. From the Season 3, Episode 1 debut on April Fools Day as a surprise (complete with all the jokes about schezwan sauce to follow) to the "Pickle Rick" episode, that is more of a story about why people don't seek counseling or therapy than the screaming pickle meme. You really could not escape that cartoon, no matter how hard you tried.

6. Splatoon 2

This year was probably one of the biggest years for Nintendo in recent history, but Splatoon 2 remains one of my favorite online experiences around. While you will probably need to disable tilt-controls at start-up, when you get into the team event, the 4v4 fight begins and you can create a big mess, with everybody's favorite squid-kids!

While there is a mobile app for you to chat, I find it's not necessarily the case, to strategize and chat over intercom.

Also this year had Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Some people really loved it, some people really hated it, others were weirdly "ehhhhhhhhhhhh" about it. But, I still don't know if it's okay to spoil this movie. Is it okay to spoil it? I don't know the time frame with this stuff. When can I talk about the Porgs? Is it a spoiler if I mentioned Porgs? Oh god, what am I doing? Oh man, oh man, oh man... this game of the year Top 10 List with optimistic things is NOT going well. damn it.

5. Cuphead

I did not beat Cuphead. I am really bad at Cuphead. But it would be a shame to NOT put Cuphead on my list, because I keep going back to it on the Xbox One. When I first saw the trailer during Xbox's press conference, it was a game that made me go "I will pick up this console when that game comes out", and sure enough, it was worth the wait. Cuphead looks amazing, the layouts, the background designs, and characters all look like that era of animation, but you can't get distracted by it's beauty, because the second you do, the boss will destroy you and you will start all over. What makes the game delightful is more of the simplicity of it's game. A reminder of the days of Nintendo 8-Bit boss stages and that feeling of defeat when you got so close to the boss, only to get killed and need to restart, and the extreme joy in taking them down. Video Games have come a long way, but nothing this year rivals it's impressive style and choices in game design.

And who can't forget about the Snapchat dancing hot dog? Remember the fun times we shared with that dancing hot dog on Snapchat? I did, but then my phone battery started draining very fast, so I had to uninstall the app. It also caused my phone to overheat, so I couldn't touch it. But I am trying to make this a positive 2017 moments thing, so let's just remember how happy this hot dog made us, also hungry.

4. Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods was probably the most underrated game out this year. A video game equivalent of the "coming of age" indie movie, but done with a ton of charm and wit that you can't stop playing it. This is a game that to me, provides something not that many video games provide - a connection. With many games, there is an objective, a goal, but in NITW, the story resonates with just about everybody. You know somebody that's Gregg, maybe that person is you - somebody who has lived in the same small town for years, and is just getting older and feeling your dreams fade over time. Or maybe you're Mae, coming back from college, feeling already like a failure, only to try to adjust back to a hometown that is in economic downturn. Or maybe you're Bea, and are just aware of the surroundings, and just dire all the time. It's a game that does tug at your heart, but then provides just that right bit of comedy to cheer you up. The game encourages you to make choices and talk to people, but it's these choices that have the effect on the mystery of the town. It's a game that best captures life in 2017 America, for better or worse.

As for me? I think I can relate to Angus the most. I like his hat.

Hey, remember Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2? It was the one with the Baby Groot. That also came out this year, yeah, really, this year. I know, you probably got Distracted with Thor Ragnarok or Justice League or Spider-Man Homecoming or Logan (Logan came out this year too) to see it. It was really fun.

This year was also a good year for superhero movies, including one other one.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Honestly, if Nintendo could have just put out The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild this year and be done with it. The Legend of Zelda is all about adventure, but taking a cue from my favorite Zelda game, Wind Waker, it also is about exploration, in a way I haven't experienced in any other Legend of Zelda game. It takes more cues from Skyrim than it does Ocarina of Time, where you can go anywhere, and do, almost anything. Gathering resources tends to be what you do most in the game, but when you get into the combat, the game invites you to try out many different ways, you could use a sword, but you could use your arrow, or you could just cut down a tree and smush them. The visuals in this game are impressive, feeling like a moving painting than a typical action-adventure. Further more, it's a game that looks amazing even when you take the Nintendo Switch on the go. A game like this uses the tech of the Nintendo Switch beautifully, pulling in from TV to bringing it on the train or bus for the exact same game, on the go.

Even though "Odyssey" is ranked higher (spoiler - it's up next), no other game this year best utilized it's hardware, let alone creating an amazing game that's worth the fabled gaming buzzword - "experience"

That's the other one. The LEGO Batman Movie. This was a movie I saw this year, and it was the best way to capture the fun of Batman while making it colorful and fun as a kids movie. Every scene in it was a reference to either something from Batman 1966, or the 1989 Keaton Batman or Batman the Animated Series or some obscure thing from the comics, to it's rogues gallery roll call. Okay, maybe this was actually a good thing for me, and not really a "hey remember" for you, so let's just find a box of Fidget Spinners.

I have mine right next to those rubber bands that are shaped like ducks and dinosaurs that you put around your arm, and those "webkinz" that were big for a hot minute.

Anyway, video games!

2. Super Mario Odyssey

I honestly just got Super Mario Odyssey for Christmas and it was probably the most hours I spent playing a video game this year. Super Mario Odyssey is exactly how you perfect fan-service while creating it's own new game. Referencing the entire history of Mario from it's days of Donkey Kong, to Mario 64, to most recently Super Mario Maker as you explore each world and battle enemies to stop Bowser from doing whatever he does with Peach.

But where the game gets REALLY good is when the credits roll, and you are left to explore. Much like Legend of Zelda, they give you free reign. Now given the open world, you can in your spare time collect these moons, going into secret areas, platforming in timed challenges or doing the fabled open-world trope of "race" with the Koopa Freerunning Bros.

Mario Odyssey was able to capture everything I loved most about early mario games and made it exciting and surprising, you get that instant gratification in collecting the moon, but then still feel obligated to continue because "it seemed too easy". But what was my favorite gaming moment this year, was the festival, when Mayor Pauline serenades you with "Jump Up Superstar" as you go through a mini time-line of Mario classics.

And if the dark clouds start to swirl

Don't fear, don't shed a tear 'cause

I'll be your 1-UP girl

It's one thing for Super Mario Odyssey to just stick to the tride-and-true formula of "Mario Platformer", but to build upon it by utilizing Cappy the Ghost makes it also a tricky puzzle game as well. The fun of figuring out what enemies go where makes it part of that exploration. And one that you really can't take your hands off of until you reach that 1000th moon.

Okay, I just got a bit lazy around this part, because I could have said something about Netflix shows, or things like The Disaster Artist and Get Out, but I figured we need something feel-good near the end of this list as well, and that comes from the famous "White Guy Blinking" man talking about memes? Okay, you caught me, I couldn't really come up with that many positive and good things to come out of this year, it was actually easier this year to come up with a TOP 10 of video games, than positive things in my life, let alone the world.... we might as well end the list with my choice.

1. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

I haven't gotten a chicken dinner yet... but I know it might happen soon. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is a simple concept - 100 people online, last one standing wins. With weapons and a circle getting smaller, it's a battle royale game, that has been done before and have been getting clones recently, but nobody has yet to beat Battlegrounds at their own game.

What makes the game great is it's ability to have you explore, it has different phases, it wants you to scavenge around the island looking for supplies, but then forces you immediately into that decision - continue scavenging, start hunting for others, or hide and camp and wait for the rest to die, and avoid the circle zone closing in on you.

The game barely has a soundtrack, but the minimal style actually is more of a blessing to the game, hearing shotguns fire off in the distance is a careful warning that you might be next, or where to avoid. A bit of peace, mixed with the tension as the "ALIVE" screen ticks down from 99 to 98...

Now the game doesn't load fully when I land after ejecting, to be fair, my computer can BARELY run it even at the minimal settings (I am due for an upgrade soon) but playing it on the Xbox One - it has the same enjoyment as the regular PC edition (plus, i play better with controller rather than mouse+keyboard) so hey, i got 4 kills once in a game, versus the PC edition where i got one melee if I was lucky and then died because the hospital didn't load properly, looking like background texture for an episode of Spongebob Squarepants.

Yes, the game glitches, but what makes the game exciting to me, is that PUBG is much like all of us - a constant work in progress.

We are always trying to improve, we are always trying to get better. Sometimes afraid to try new things, but when we dare to do it, it can surprise us all.

A game that was a passion project that grew over time to be a really big game thing on Twitch. A game that on the surface looks like just another bare-bones action game, but when you play it for the first time, you get a feel for the survival aspects of the game and the constant urgency the game provides. It's not always the first impression, it's when you get to know them.

From Solo, came Duo and Squad

From Erangel came Miramar

The Xbox One edition is also a work in progress, but when it comes to a port of the game, it does it's job really well. It just is a matter of holding a button as opposed to pressing a different key.

The game is just getting started with them, and throughout 2018, it will mature, have some highs and lows, and get better. And I am sure that same thing will happen to all of us, we will all get better, over time.

Ah damn it, I ended this top 10 list on a sappy note.

quick, let's pull up that Mr. Clean super bowl ad

Some people got really horny over brands this year for some reason, and I still never figured out why.

Phew! And I never brought up that garbage Bubsy game.

It's been roughly 24 hours since the Nintendo Switch conference showed up, and it's caused many to have everything from Day 1 Hype, to the point of pre-ordering it at Best Buy and Amazon to day-sayers saying it's just another gimmick that's gonna fall flat, like Wii and Wii-U before it.

Nintendo Wii was and will always be the console for casual people. It's concept was novelty, and it worked in it's favor. It didn't really get the same appeal as Xbox and Playstation users before it, but made up for it, for it's die-hard Nintendo Audience with games like Twilight Princess and Super Mario Galaxy.

Nintendo Wii-U was Nintendo's Attempt at updating that familiar console, and having it pick up games like Splatoon and Super Mario Maker, it's a console that works... but what is Nintendo Switch?

At first dibs, Nintendo Switch looks like a deconstructed Wii-U gamepad that would only be seen on an episode of "Cutthroat Kitchen", but the Joy-Cons (Joy Controllers?) are the real secret to this console, that could make it really dynamic.

What is surprising to me, is how tiny it is, and how Nintendo might have finally perfected somewhat of a Portable-to-Home console. It's not quite as portable as a Nintendo 3DS, but it's size is enough for people to stuff in backpacks much like tablets, making it possibly something to take with you the same way of a Board Game to your next house party.

What I see most exciting for the Switch is essentially a throwback to the days of the Game Boy and the Link Cable. While DS and 3DS always had this sort of online play mode activated. By having essentially two controllers built into the device, with a mini-screen as well, I could see schools across america being filled with a few nerds bringing their Switch to class and during Recess go through a few 1-2 Switch Minigames with friends, instead of just a solo-adventure like a Pokemon, until it's most necessary to trade and battle.

If some of these games available soon, like a Mario Kart 8 or Splatoon was available with at-launch split screen. Or any of the EA Sports Titles like FIFA with only one of the two joycons being needed to play, you might see the return of the "Friend Console". A need to play two-player or multi-player competitive games for casual fun, as opposed to a solo-experience from most action-adventure titles, a possible return of the "I got next" when it comes to a fighting game, or a co-op platformer supporting teamwork.

Something for parents to think about buying just to give the kids something to do in the backseat of their car, as they drive an hour to go someplace. It could be something exciting to think about, the potentials for this product in casual gaming markets. Teenagers in Clubs, College Kids wanting something between classes, or just something for a casual cocktail round. I want to see drunk people play switch games in a booth.

Of course, this is just my thoughts on where it can go, and how many people this could be with. It will depend ultimately on games and this need for multi-player casual games, in addition for the single-player action adventures like a Zelda or Metroid to make this console strive.

But it's all possible Nintendo might not have learned from their mistakes. They might just continue producing very little in an attempt to drive the demand up. Until the sudden backlash of current owners of Switch going "There is nothing to really play right now, so just wait" comments end up all over the place. A mistake they've made with Wii-U at launch, and with the NES Classic during the holidays.

Another problem is 3rd Party support and the sort of games they might release on a Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Wii was full of funny-bad shovelware, Nintendo Wii-U barely had that many 3rd Party support, because of the questionable need for the gamepad. That my hope is that we see more 3rd Parties involved in Nintendo Switch, with a simple control scheme, and the switch screen being essentially just a viewing device, we might see less wiggling of controls, in favor of classic push-button games.

But fans of the wiggling will still find charm in Nintendo Switch with it's continuing motion controls. That Switch could be seen as Nintendo's "All-In" gamble. They have developed something attempting to appeal to as many audiences as humanly possible, including taking out the region-lock. That this hybrid console, could be seen as something that will be imitated in a few years time or as one of the last of Nintendo's "make a gimmick of a console and hope it works".

And considering the game selections right now, it's still a toss-up. My hope is that we see more great announcements at E3 to grab more people finally looking for a "Classic Nintendo Experience" for the modern day.

Much like Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supreme, Nintendo needs to advertise this console as "Classic, Made Modern" and start rolling in the money.

Time to make the donuts, bitch.Jordan Hass is a comedy writer and game breaking idiot from Los Angeles and has a diet of cotton candy, steak and root beer. He's never played Mass Effect. Ask him about game shows.

I decided to write my 2016 GOTY when everybody else is either too hammered to write or when everybody decided to finally say good riddance, both in the figurative sense and in the many many tributes to celebrities with Green Day playing in the background.

2016's year can actually best best be summed up as the year of revivals and overcoming the odds to win the love of America. But enough about the return of 'Match Game' on ABC and the Chicago Cubs winning the pennant, it's time to talk video games.

10. Job Simulator: the 2050 Archives

I'll be honest with you, I don't own any VR Headset. They are crazy expensive right now that for regular consumers, they are only seen as a novelty. Where people who scoff at it compare it to the Virtual Boy, while those that have actually given it a try are amazed by it's technology. It's only going to be a matter of time before we see all sorts of shovel-ware coming to Oculus and Vive, but until then, let's enjoy the simpler things in life, like having a job.

Aside from Tabletop Simulator and Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, this was the only VR game I played all year (Apologies in advance, Rec Room fans!) but it's one that made me feel like I could do anything, at least in the confines of the simulation. In the gaming world, simulations have been getting quite the bad rap. They flooded the Steam page almost every week with some half-assed design and weird for the sake of being wacky. But Job Simulator felt like a game that did none of that, it's a game where the developers knew almost every possible combination in doing the tasks and had the appropriate consequences. It reminded me so much of 2014's Jazzpunk in the way they handle some of the comedy. It's one of those games you can plow through, but it's best played as the tech-demo for what you can do in Virtual Reality. A game that allows you to play it straight in a weird setting, or allows you to be weirder with it's mechanics.

9. Batman: The Telltale Series

As good as the Batman Arkham games are as a series, I must confess that my biggest gripe in gaming is the jump scares. I really, really hate jump scares. I may or may not be banned from the Haunted Hayride for punching somebody out. The Arkham Series is about 40% jump scares, rather it's Man-Bat on the rooftops or a fucking shark popping out of the ice. It doesn't just terrify me, I put down my controller and walk away, even deleting the game and never returning. So when I heard Telltale was making a Batman game, I was curious how their take on Batman will be different from what would now be considered the definitive video game Batman.

I was thinking all sorts of Telltale tropes like having them recreate the death of Martha and Thomas Wayne with "Bruce will remember this" in the corner. But was instead, actually surprised with how it all turned out. This wasn't an Arkham storyline where the focus is on Batman vs The Joker, like every other Batman Fanfiction. But rather a story of Bruce Wayne and his relationship with Alfred and the friendships he has with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent.

You can play this game as whatever Batman you want, your "Batman never kills, only intimidates" approach, to your ultra-violent rich kid fantasy that makes you feel more like Jason Todd than really Bruce Wayne.

While it does suffer the slope of the "Third Episode Roadblock", making the game almost of a chore to complete. If you decide to continue on, and play though til Episode 5, you will get one of the greatest endings to a Batman story. Not just in video games, comics or movies. But ever, period.

8. The Witness

I'm a sucker for a good exploration puzzle game, and The Witness was able to strike when I needed it the most. The game gave me a headache with it's sensory overload at first. In fact, when I played the game for the first time, I accidentally beat the game with the alternate ending, thinking it was the first world of puzzles. Hearing the credits being spoken by radios, as it turns out, wasn't opening credits, but final credits.

The Witness is something that tackles your logical skills in this very colorful and rich atmosphere, environmental puzzles, when you discover them, add a layer to the game that gives this sense of wonder, a game of discovery and actual exploration as opposed to "where's the next puzzle box?", a game that matched my love of Myst.

But my suggestion is that if a puzzle becomes too challenging or you start getting those headaches, turn the game off, this is the perfect relaxation game for a thinker, a game for you to come back to, when you need to the most.

7. SUPERHOT

Have you ever had that feeling of a video game that was just made for you? SUPERHOT was one of those things. Gaming, especially in First Person Shooters has been in a stand-still for far too long. It's been about ammo, upgrades, multiplayer. And very rarely do you see some element of puzzle and strategy involved, unless you're talking Portal.

The gimmick is simple, time moves when you move. But it's such a simple gimmick, that it works so well when it comes to aiming shots, moving forward, or grabbing a weapon to throw. The enemies shattering like glass, having this style that's part simulation, part text adventure, when you're in the chatroom hacking into more of the game, getting more DLC, finding out the truth about "Superhot" (the game inside the game).

But what makes me enjoy this game so much during level completion when you see that slowed down shooter play in real time, so you get this effect like you are in the 2016 version of The Matrix. Gliding around, kicking enemies through windows and shooting three enemies in the head one after the other, it never got tiring, and the way they fixed those repetitions made the game so worthwhile.

6. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted as a series has been a mash-up of so many genres, you get a shooting game, with a puzzle game, mixed with this platforming of climbing up walls. A cinematic adventure that actually does rival most Hollywood Blockbusters both in it's presentation and it's storyline.

Nathan Drake has always been seen as this jokey, overconfident, Han Solo type character, looking for treasure for it's historical value and mild financial gain. And Uncharted 4 was the game that finally got the player to get the full character breakdown of Nathan Drake, Who is Nathan Drake? What does he do outside of treasure hunting? As it turns out, playing Crash Bandicoot on a PS1 on a 72 inch HD Plasma.

While the multiplayer still gets some getting used to (and honestly, it hardly houses that many people) the game always will shine in that campaign mode, It still makes no sense why Nathan will gladly shoot and murder so many soldiers in the war. But seeing Rafe for the first time, you'll know that you have found somebody equally as adventurous and cunning as Nathan.

The ending for Uncharted is the gold standard for a way to bid farewell to a character's story, but still leaving room to have a new adventurer should Naughty Dog, Inc. ever want to get back into spelunking.

5. DOOM

This is one of the first of many games I was skeptical of. I was always more fond of Quake than Doom when it came to shooters. Quake felt like I am entering a Elder Scrolls Dungeon with rockets, while Doom tried so much to be a game about spooky things popping out and you shooting at them.

Seeing the original trailers for DOOM, like many people, I was feeling like I am watching what was essentially Dead Space 3, a shooter in space, with scary monsters to go "pew pew" with the gun. Ultraviolent for the sake of controversial, like the original DOOM had back in the 90s, and after much consideration from my friends here and on social media, I gave it a try. $20 felt like too little for what really deserved the full $60.

DOOM has become essentially Saints Row to me, an over the top and hilarious action game that plays up all of the tropes of classic shooting games, and redefining what a FPS should be. It did something very few games let me do - be happy about jump scares. They probably wanted to embrace those like me, the "fight" vs "flight" when it comes to jump scares. Monsters never pop up unless in berserk mode, and even then, glory kills almost treat them like a minor cut-scene, as if the protagonist, much like myself is going "fuck you these are stupid".

The developers of this game treat Gears-style diatribes as boring, throwing them away, sometimes literally, in favor of "pay attention to this hologram, or not, we don't really care". And they have gotten rid of the conventional "defense is just as strong as offense" of recent Call of Duty and Battlefields in favor of the classic "Run and Gun" attitude that they were known for. The ultraviolent attitude of the game isn't to sell "edge" to the energy drink teenagers, it's selling to the consumers something rare in video games - pure fun.

DOOM has made video games fun for the sake of fun. Kneeing enemies in the face and watching them fly across the map like ragdolls and shoving skeleton enemies into walls after a 20 second long screech, just makes you smile. Dying on checkpoints are hardly met with enraged throwings of controllers but with a smile and laugh. And the soundtrack makes the game feel like you're composing the music with your attacks.

It almost made me forget about that live-action movie with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, almost.

4. Overwatch

When I think Blizzard, I usually think of games like Diablo III and World of Warcraft, strategy role-playing games that end up being big time e-sports after a year they come out, with my favorite game being Hearthstone , so I was a little concerned when I was hearing about Overwatch for the first time, it's a multi-player FPS game similar to Team Fortress 2? That's going to be difficult to create anything that mirrors that, fandoms love Heavy and Scout in that game, you can't beat it.

And somehow, they did.

Overwatch created lovable, diverse characters of all shapes and sizes, and created this universe around them. Players can't get enough of Tracer's quirky voice, D.Va's Twitch-streamer personality and all the catchphrases such as McCree's "High Noon" and Reaper's "DieDieDie", a game that almost entices it's audience to get into head-canons with the characters, while still pondering if heroes are supposed to be good guys, why do they need to shoot other heroes to secure payloads? Did they decide fighting crime was too much that we need to escort a limousine instead? Why do canaries love Bastion so much? Why do I suddenly have a crush on Hanzo? Most of these questions are answered in-game and with it's mini movies out every month.

Loot Boxes add this element of surprise to the game, which I will argue - you should never buy. Skins are fun to have, and so are sprays, but I enjoy them after a level-up during the game. It should feel like a reward for playing the game. The game just does an amazing job of making it seem like a celebration, making it addictive for you to want to open these to the point of buying some. Thankfully, I never did that. But oh man, seeing people shell out the money for these boxes, just reminds me of the lengths people go for Blind Boxes in figurine stores. That rush of wanting a Funko Pop of Jughead in some Archie Blind Box, but winding up with 4 Reggies to get it, Nobody likes Reggie. But when you finally get that thing you wanted, there is this element of joy that can only be rivaled by perhaps winning a prize on The Price is Right.

But what makes me enjoy the game most is simply how the gameplay works. It appeals to all types of players in FPS. If you just love RPGs, you could play as Pharah, If you love being a defense with strong melee, Reinhardt. If you love to just camp and just blast an automatic, Bastion is perfect. And if you just want to be a great support group and be the real help for the team, you can play as Mercy and just save the heroes. There is no right or wrong answer to who you play as or how to play it. The more you play, the more you learn what characters are great against other characters.

The games are quick bursts of fun, that you can finish one game in roughly 15 minutes and with such a simple control scheme, it is perfect for those pick up and play moments, when you just feel like playing a video game to kill some time. Overwatch is a game that is not going anywhere anytime soon, and 2017 will see some improvements to this game that will keep people securing payloads for years to come.

3. Watch_Dogs 2

I feel like I might be one of the few people on Earth that actually completed the original Watch Dogs. It's drab, depressing protagonist messing around in a Chicago that doesn't have the personality or character of the actual city. What felt like two years of hype, was for one of the most "Meh" games ever developed.

Which is why I was so shocked when Watch_Dogs 2 came out, that I would be addicted to it. Marcus is one of the best protagonists ever created for a game. Not only because of the rarity of a person of color to grace the cover, but because of his personality of being this lovable nerd who is trying to use his hobby for a good. He is somebody that has elements of friends you know in real life, in a San Francisco that is as vibrant and colorful as the one in real life, only a bit smaller and the price of coffee being still accurate.

Wrench is also one of those characters you see originally as an "Emote Anarchist", you think because his eyes go ^_^ that he's just going to be "the random comedy" person. But while he does have some great one-liners and somewhat of a nihilistic attitude towards life, he doesn't come across as somebody to hate, but rather as a character that you can actually call a friend for support. They actually bothered not making him a flat character, which is necessary for a game about nerds hacking for a cause. During the game, you might get into a discussion about Star Wars or Alien Vs Predator and it makes the game more enjoyable. They have friends bonding over the same stuff most people do.

The ASCII design of the game, mixed with the game soundtrack, makes this one stylish game. Yes, you are essentially playing a member of Lulzsec meets Anonymous in DeadSec, but the loading screens and dialog boxes and transitions between missions make the game so beautiful to stare at, I want to make some of these my screen savers on my computer, even if it means getting rid of my flying toasters.

Sure, the game gets a bit repetitive with grabbing cherry pickers and playing with drones. But the mix of puzzle-hacking, and the Hitman-style stealth strategy in the "Big Data" missions, makes the game so enjoyable with my favorite game experience of 2016 being "Swelter Skelter"

"Swelter Skelter" is a mission where Marcus goes to a Burning Man type festival and tries to regroup the team after the team gets attacked for the first time in game. Marcus interacts with so many different characters, from people dancing in morph suits, to annoying a DJ's set, and hacking the transmissions to "The Shit Poetry Contest" and hearing voice-overs of people reading their awful slam poetry out loud is one of the funniest and dumbest things in video games that just makes me love this game so much.

That and taking pictures of Wrench's butt, it's a nice butt. Butt of the Year.

2. TIE: Drawful 2 & Jackbox Party Pack 3

Jackbox Games knocked it out of the park this year with not one, but two games this year. While the focus was around Jackbox Party Pack 3, for having 5 games, people shouldn't forget about Early 2016's Drawful 2 as a game that didn't come with the game, but was one of the most fun party games out there.

So I'll take the time right now to make a miniature "Top 6" of the Jackbox Games that came out this year, because they all deserve a bit of a discussion on what makes each game so great and fun and why I need to make sure I charge my phone before any parties in the near-future.

2.1) Drawful 2

Drawful 2 relies on you drawing weird prompts and having your friends figure out what the hell you drew. What makes the game even more fun was the fact you can create your own packs and create Drawful prompts based on your friends inside jokes or references of your own community. They also started awarding players based on Streaks, which theoretically could end ties. Of all the Jackbox Games this year, this one was the best one and stood out the most for it's quirky music and it's way of letting players interpret prompts in any way they choose.

2.2) Quiplash 2

Quiplash 2 is the best game of Jackbox Party Pack 3, because it doesn't bend the rules that much of the original Quiplash, and actually fixed the final round to be more of a "winner takes all" finale, while giving a nod to Acrophobia. Also like Drawful 2, they also let users in on the game by creating their own questions and prompts as well, theoretically making the game never ending based on your own imagination. A simple question and answer game that rewards smartassery or cunning wordplay always deserves something in the game of the year line-up.

2.3) Tee KO

While the first part of the game does take a long time, creating designs and writing slogans, when it comes to making the shirts and then pitting them against each other Quiplash style, it makes for amazing reveals, where even an artist who designed and wrote everything could be shocked at the interpretations being made for their shirts. And what makes it so fantastic is when the game is done, there is an option to ACTUALLY purchases these shirts and wear them in real life, like some sort of crazy person who loves Bootleg Bart Simpson shirts that say "Ethics in Game Journalism" on it.

2.4) Trivia Murder Party

I feel this game was the culmination for the many years Jackbox Games has put into video games, that it could be interpreted as it's series finale. A murderous host invites players to answer trivia questions (with haunting You Don't Know Jack music) and if they answer questions incorrectly play fast-paced versions of Quiplash or Drawful, or memory based challenges as well for survival. A feeling of somebody who was over-obsessed with these party games might end up actually doing. Although it loses points, because JUMP SCARES. But it also has my favorite video game song of 2016.

2.5) Guesspionage

Guesspionage is the game of Survey-lence, get it? Survey? Surveillance? I crack myself up. Anyway, the game lets you answer survey questions previously answered by sorry sadsacks like myself in the hopes of gaining the most points by predicting Card Sharks-style what percentage of people believe or have done some activity. With the rest going Higher or Lower on an answer (or doubling-down if they are off by 15% or more). The game is really simple to understand, however the questions being asked on the Surveys (which could also be asked to large audiences, if you have 5 or more people on the sidelines) and the phrasing of the answers in the Final Round are a little rough. "How many people would say they are smarter than the average person?" was originally asked in a different phrased question. But the spy-asethic is everything I love.

2.6) Fakin' It

While most of the other games rely mostly on the phone with Jackbox.TV , Fakin' It only requires the phone to be used to see what question or activity is going on, who is the faker, and how to vote for whoever is faking it. It's a game that's not really fun for Twitch Streamers to play, so it's one of the few times you'll actually need people together in a room to play. Pointing at people, holding fingers and doing whatever it takes to deny being a lying son of a bitch is what is necessary to play Fakin' It. But it's so good knowing Cookie is still around to make our lives so much better.

1. Hitman

There isn't much I could say about this game that hasn't been said by just about everybody. I am not fond of stealth games. I find them really boring because you're just sitting around patiently waiting for something to happen before you can finally strike. I'm an impatient man by nature, but Hitman has made me a fan of Steath games.

Hitman is one gigantic puzzle, one big strategy game, one giant game of chess with you versus your Target. You can play the game in a standard way of finding the Target, shooting them or strangling them and then fleeing away like the Agent you think you are. But Hitman wants to reward you for taking your Agent 47 with Objective Kills.

Objective Kills are what makes this game so much more alluring, multiple ways to take down a target that's not just a bullet. Dressing up like Helmut Kruger and getting the VIP Treatment at a Fashion Show, playing a Yoga Instructor and kicking somebody off a cliff, being a Masseuse and ruining somebody's message, all hilarious causes of death you can bring at your disposal.

If you want the game to just be a simple "shoot the target and leave", you miss out on almost everything that makes the game great. The assistance it gives you in figuring out where people are, where items are, where exits are, they give you a bit of breathing room. The game treats that part of the game as "simple things you shouldn't worry about" and instead wants you, and encourages you, to go nuts.

Dress up like a chef and poison some food, Kill Gary Busey with a Chandelier, It's a game that takes the familiar spy-trope, and turns it around to be almost Naked Gun levels of silly, while still making the game trial and error if you fail certain ways. With each mission failure, you learn something about the map, about a NPC, about a weapon, and you can use that to your advantage on your next try.

You will fail, Hitman wants you to fail a few times, before you learn your surroundings and be very resourceful, planning your attack, getting your costumes suited. Figuring where to hide bodies, or should you just snap their neck to save time in case they wake up.

Hitman is a thinking man's stealth game, Hitman wants you to blend in, but they also want you to wear ridiculous outfits. They want you to play the game however you want, but rewards you for multiple playthoughs. A game that takes a known flaw of repetition of a map, and makes it so you're not annoyed, but rather excited. A sandbox of strategy and a really fun way to spend an afternoon. It's hard to say you're "finished" with the game, when you just want to go back and have some fun.

Match Game and $100,000 Pyramid are coming back, hey Ludia, now's your chance.

Look, I enjoy the WWE, but man, I can't even watch an hour of content anymore, it's way too much.

I just bought a PS4 but trying to figure out what games.