Games I played to completion, both new and from the enormous backlog I've acquired since building a decent PC and getting a PS3 with PS+. Since I skipped last-gen games on the PS3 entirely, there will be a fair amount of old stuff on this list.
It takes the Fez deconstruction of controller-based platformers and applies it to touch, with great visual flourish. Pretty short, but effective in what it's trying to do. The ending is...artsy? I don't know. Interesting?
Surprisingly great story. I've always enjoyed playing the Zerg best, and it's nice to empathize with them for once.
It's a bit thin on story and content, in terms of the games I usually play, but the combat is well-done, and it looks and plays great. Wish I had friends playing with me on PC.
Deep, tense combat mechanics wrapped in some impressive environmental storytelling. Some dark notes about faith in humanity versus faith in the human next to you. It's a pretty linear story, and you're definitely killing dudes, but it still feels like a watershed game.
I think I finished it? I got an achievement for desperately trying to jump...also the achievement for turning on achievements.
Shivers of Zelda, Mario, Red Dead Redemption...the thrill and elation of discovery and sparse storytelling.
Well executed with some new ideas. Great while I was playing it, but didn't really stick with me.
You know the learning curve of this game is pretty perfect when the whole game clicks and feels easy right as you get to those impossible final levels. The story? Completely batshit. Interested in this idea of the sequel being a horror movie inspired by the first game.
Didn't get the hate for this game's story. Complementing the rich combat, I found the story about as light on exposition and heavy on mystery and lore as Bastion, the studio's previous effort. Definitely a highlight for me this year.
I enjoyed this season, and didn't have issues with some of the characters as others may have, but I did feel that many of the choices lacked weight, and required less courage to pick the "right path." In fact, just that there felt like a "right path" shows that this game just seemed a lot flatter compared to the previous season.
Really demonstrates the power of sound and music cues to create mood. I actually preferred the bits where there wasn't a lot happening on screen, just sounds alluding to a house filled with crazy nightmare babies.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this one, but I probably shouldn't be. Giving up on Microsoft has left a Halo-shaped hole in my gaming habit, and games like this–with story and style to spare–help fill the void.
