2021 feels like a year where a lot of stuff happened yet nothing really changed... Very deep thinking going on here.
In terms of video games, I played a lot of stuff and I finished more games than I normally do. So instead of only picking 5 games, I'm going to list 6 of my favorite games I finished this year.
Here are my lists from previous years:
I was stuffed after making my huge Falcom video last year. Couldn’t play another Falcom game for a while. But I made room for Ys IX. While the city setting is certainly more drab compared to the previous entry, I had a fantastic time playing IX. Plus it was the first big new game I really sunk my teeth into this year which made it very memorable for me.
While Gnosis may look like a typical visual novel that takes dozens of hours to read, it is actually a very succinct experience that isn’t really like a VN at all. The game has short story sequences but the meat of the experience are the debate battles which only last about 15 minutes each. Yet, while it can be played in short intervals, Gnosia is packed with charming characters, fun mysteries, and Setsu (who is awesome). It’s one of many time loop games released this year but Gnosia still managed to stand out and stick in my mind all year.
I played through all of It Takes Two with my younger brother and it was an oddly nostalgic experience. Perhaps because the game is about remembering the past in many ways, old memories kept rising up from the recesses of my mind as I played through the game. The snow level especially got me thinking about old Christmas memories and just random things I used to do as a kid that I had long since forgotten. It was really nice. Plus it was just a goofy fun game to play with my brother. And flying around on fidget spinners was a good time.
Fuga strikes an amazing balancing act. The story is about children facing the horrors of war and one of the main mechanics involves sacrificing one of the kids to fire an ultimate weapon. However, it is also very cute, chill, and even hopeful at the end of the game (at least with the ending I got). It reminded me a lot of one of my favorite mech shows called Galactic Drifter Vifam which has a very similar premise and tone. And just like in that show, I got really attached to the cast of Fuga and was very invested in the journey of these kids. Plus the gameplay loop of fighting in battles and then maintaining your tank and crew was very satisfying. Good game all round.
I’ve played a few entries in the Metroid series over the years but the GBA titles have always been my favorites. So to get a new entry that feels like it picks up right where Fusion left off (both in a story and gameplay sense) was a real treat. The game kind of felt like I was eating a big bowl of comfort food.
The fan translation for Famicom Detective Club Part II is a very important game to me. Something I played during my high school years that left a big impression on me. So being able to play a beautifully put together remake officially available in English was a dream come true. Sure, the gameplay was crusty and I wasn’t a fan of every new character design, but I had a great time overall re-experiencing this classic.
