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dudewantshisrug

In need of a nap.

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GOTY 2021

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I read my GOTY post from last year and just sunk my foot into what was my opening statement:

"Let's not talk about how big of a shit pie this year has been, ok? Let's think about how we should have a better appreciation of everything."

How little did I know this would ring even truer. If you continue reading this please know that 2021 was a lousy year for me personally. I say that so that you know that maybe the things I have to say about games aren't as bad as I intend but I'm coming from a bitter, sad place so they may very well be tainted more than I would care to admit.

Unfortunately video games were not the oasis for me that they normally are. I struggled to stick with any game and struggled even more to finish anything. My brother and I had a shared love of video games. We would talk about games, exchange games, and played games together. At one point in time we were part a fairly murderous Halo 3 squad. When he passed away this year, not only did I loose him but I also lost a huge part of what I loved about video games. What particularly made the point stick home is when I got my Xbox Series X. It was the last time I saw my brother alive. I had had the console delivered to my mother's and he was there. He was ill but when you think about your brother you never think you won't see him again. We talked about several things but we went on about the new console and when he may get his. There was never a notion that we wouldn't see each other soon much less again. Hindsight is a beautifully terrifying thing that let's you see the greatest parts of your life but also points out that they are gone. The context of everything changed and so did I. I miss him, I honor him.

They say time heals all wounds but I'll need more. I'm better than I was but not as good as I used to be. Thanks for hearing me out.

Games? I'm working on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy(update - finished it and loved it. Had I finished it prior to doing this list it would have been GOTY), haven't started Halo: Infinite(update - I started it but too soon to what I think about it) or Life is Strange: True Colors. Perhaps by chance, sweet chance, we get to these things.

Here is a list of games I played but did not release in 2021:

Gears 5 - Hive Busters - Much like the base game, when it was all said and done I felt cheated at the end of it. Both the campaign and the DLC ended at a point that didn't feel complete. There was always that feeling that there should have been one more chapter.

Cyber Punk 2077 - Well... what do I need to say? I played on an Xbox One and let me tell you... don't do that.

Donut County - It was on Game Pass and I wanted some comfort food. Plus, it's a fun game.

Power Wash Simulator - It's still Early Access but I enjoyed it. Looking forward to more.

Spider-Man - Miles Morales - You like Spider-Man? Wanna play Spider-Man as not Spider-Man but still Spider-Man? It had some layers but this is probably the game I enjoyed the most overall this year.

List items

  • The Ascent - The What? I had forgotten that I even played this game. I write a list of games as I play them and when I saw this game I had to give it serious pause. I went back and watched the trailer. Sure enough, I had played this. However, I had not enjoyed it. I liked the aesthetics of it, after it came back to memory, but I feel like I didn't get the progression system and was getting put down in situations that I shouldn't have.

  • I'm on the outs with this one. I really wanted to like this since third and first person shooters are my jam but this game just did not work for me. I can't say how long I stuck with this game but did see it through several areas only to get to a point where I gave up. I got stuck at the first mission of a new area and could not kill the boss. I could get his health meter down but every time it depleted it went back up. My guess is that I had drawn him out of the 'arena' area they intended you to fight him in and the game just couldn't handle it. Look, if I can't play your game my way then I'm done.

  • Really, more of this? The most complimentary thing I can say for this game is also the most damning: It's a Far Cry game. I put several hours into this game just to get to the conclusion that maybe I'm done with Far Cry. It was everything I would expect from a Far Cry game and that was the most disappointing part of it. Far Cry 3 and Blood Dragon were everything I wanted but since then I just can't get into these games. Not that I want them to stop but just that I'm probably done with them for the most part.

  • Really? This Game? I mean it was fine but I find that it was the only 2021 release that I actually finished. I'm not using that as the basis of making it my game of 2021 but I also don't have any reason to deny it. It was fine. I enjoyed it. Looked forward to playing it... until the ending. Spoilers: but it was a complete setup for a sequel that may or may not come. Would have liked to have seen something that was more thought out.
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