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FakeKisser

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Fakey's 2020 Games of the Year

Note: As always, I include my favorite games I played this year, even if they were released before 2020.

Unlike some people where 2020 brought a lot more free time, my job got more demanding, and I took on the second job of guiding my kids through virtual school...

However, I did still end up playing a lot of games, because my kids getting older is continuing to allow me time to play games at night and sometimes during the afternoon on weekends. :)

This year was funny. If you look at the games I played, you'll see a LOT of Grand Theft Auto titles, as I just got into a mood to play through a lot of the GTA games I missed, from the big IV to several of the smaller ones.

I also knocked another Assassin's Creed game off my backlog. I'm still 2 behind (not including the latest title), but I plan on playing through Origins in 2021. I'm actually excited for it, based on things Alex has said (even though I know I'll feel a bit like Vinny with it being the first game in the new AC direction).

Honorable Mentions

SteamWorld Heist

I'm a big fan of the SteamWorld games, and Heist really had me enthralled...for a dozen hours or so... Then, I felt there was a difficulty spike, and it just got monotonous. However, I still think it is a good game, and I'm excited to play SteamWorld Quest in 2021.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

The Uncharted games are pure spectacle, but I generally like the first 3 games (haven't played 4, yet). Finally playing Golden Abyss on my Vita (after owning my Vita for years, now) was a great experience, and I think it is a good game. I'm still surprised they never adapted it for PS3. Yes, it would lose some aspects of it designed for Vita, but it wouldn't have lost enough to not be worth a playthrough, in my opinion. In any case, I think every Vita owner should play Golden Abyss.

Most Disappointing

Asura's Wrath

Asura's Wrath was on my backlog for several years after hearing so much about it. Parts of it were entertaining, but it was mostly frustrating for me. I made myself see it through, but I didn't enjoy the majority of it.

The Fall Part 2: Unbound

It's almost a meme, at this point, how disappointed people were at The Fall Part 2 after how good Part 1 was, but I still wanted to play it. I'm glad I did, as it has some good ideas, but it was a disappointment. I am still interested in a Part 3, though, if it ever gets made and goes back towards the gameplay of the first game.

Outer Wilds

Okay. I know this one is controversial, but the reason I put it here is exactly because it won so many awards, and I just felt like I was slogging my way through it after the first few hours. I still have to wrap it up, but I've struggled all 2020 even thinking of getting back to it. I will finish it, though, and I hope it makes my GOTY 2021. :)

New Games that I didn't get to (but could have been contenders)

Too many this year...

I usually have this category to remind me what I want to play the next year, but I often don't push those to the top of my backlog, anyway, so I'm likely not going to have this part of the list going forward.

I really should redo the structure of mystery GOTY write-ups, anyway.

Here's to hoping for even more gaming time in 2021 (along with other things I want to spend time on after parenting...). :)

And my Games of the Year!!:

List items

  • I bought Kentucky Route Zero a week after the first Act was released because of a write-up in Kill Screen. I played every Act and Interlude as they were released up until the last Act this year. I don't feel the last Act is the strongest, but they did a nice job, and I teared up at least once. Kentucky Route Zero, overall, is one of my favorite games of all time, and I'm looking forward to playing through it again back-to-back...instead of spread out over a 7 year period. :D

  • I know the response Detroit got, but this game really touched me. It didn't have any revelations, and I was frustrated at how it handled some topics, but I was gripped by the story and couldn't wait to see what happened next, thinking about the game every hour I wasn't playing it. After not liking Beyond: Two Souls at all, I'm now hoping Quantic Dream can make an even better game next time.

  • GTA IV came out at the time I wasn't playing video games, so I just got around to it this year, and it was well worth it. It still holds up in 2020, and with a couple mods, the art style just makes it feel like a different cartoony take on the graphics, as opposed to V. And, of course, the DLC is great.

  • I'm a bit obsessed with my Irish heritage, am learning Irish, and I was supposed to take my family to Ireland in 2020 where my wife and I honeymooned 10 years ago. So, If Found gave me a great Irish setting with an impactful interpersonal story and creative storytelling/gameplay.

  • I'm not really into rogue-likes/lites, but a first-person stealth take on it already is going to grab me. I then liked the way the tools and levels were built. I only got a bit frustrated at the end. Otherwise, I loved the experience.

  • Honestly, this game and the last 2 are basically tied for 4th, for me, as they just all did different things. AC Syndicate is, in my opinion, the best old-style AC game. The setting is fascinating, the characters are very good, and the graphics still look very nice in 2020. I was very happy to finally get this off my backlog, and I'm very much looking forward to playing Origins in 2021, bringing me into the new style of AC games.

  • I loved Yakuza 0, but Kiwami was very disappointing for several reasons. The story is not as good, I got frustrated in several parts. However, I still enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to playing through Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 3 this year!

  • A Short Hike was very meditative for me. Besides a couple spots, it was very relaxing, and I loved the short length along with the visuals, as well. I played it on PC, but I just bought it on Switch for my wife to play. :)

  • Vice City is my favorite GTA game. I'm not sure if it still holds up, as I've been afraid to go back to it, but it is the only GTA I loved from start to finish due to the setting, visuals (at the time), and the music. I just bought the soundtrack on CD, actually, after playing Vice City Stories. VCS is not as good as the original, of course, but it was nice to relive the setting, and the appearance of Phil Collins sealed the deal to put it on this list.

  • I bought and played Omikron when it first came out due to David Bowie being in it, but I don't know how far I got in it. This year, I played all the way through it, and the gameplay really needs to be refreshed, controls completely redone. However, I personally think there is enough in Omikron with the setting and story that it would be worthwhile for Quantic Dream to outsource a remake to some other company and just refresh it a bit.
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