by durandir
Played a lot of games this year, but not beaten that many of them. Even games on this list are games I haven't gotten quite through. My plan is to eventually go fully through all of them, but my gaming time has become more and more "what am I in the mood for?" based over the years. And my mood changes often. Because I want to write a little bit about all of my "top games of the year", I am still going to do an "honorable mentions" section. So 11-19 are also ranked, but obviously outside a top ten.
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Shadow of the Erdtree is a DLC that is bigger than some of FromSofts previous games. It adds a lot of new weapons, and even some really fun weapon classes. The landscapes and visuals are top notch, the bosses are really fun and the music is the best in the industry (Dancing Lion is my jam). It's a DLC that made me want to replay every Souls game I have played (as of writing this I have beaten DS1, 2 and 3 and am now on Sekiro) just so I can replay Elden Ring with this DLC at the end. It's the best thing I have played this year, simply put a masterpiece.
Hair to hair, sister. My favorite story of the year, all told. The gameplay is light in this one, and sometimes the "running around" is kind of frustrating. But it's all good, because the story is that good. This is one of those you find yourself thinking about now and then. Hekki grace.
I loved this enough to write a blogpost about it. I don't really do that anymore. I know I am not a good writer, and that people don't really need to see what I feel about anything. I'm not famous, I'm not special. I'm just a guy. But something about how this game approaches choice in an "Elder Scrolls" type game is just brilliant. Sure, the game has combat that feels pretty much fine. There are some tedious "fetch quest" type things. But the story. The way it unfolds. The choices you make. You just have to experience it.
The best "Fez-like" of the year for me. Awesome graphics, sound and music unlike anything, and the puzzles. I love it! Perhaps the most inventive set of items you collect to gain abilities and beat the game. I did not delve deep enough to having the game print out stuff for me (don't even own a printer) but I had a lot of fun reading about the deepest depths of it. I did beat the actual last boss, so I am pretty proud of that.
This is just fun. So many good gags, sometimes really subtle. Can't really say much more about it than that. Just play it.
Watching numbers go up is always fun, especially when you feel like you have broken something to make it happen. Some of those Joker combos are just filthy. I am calling this beaten since I have beaten a few of the decks, but I am not down bad enough to beat the entire thing. But this is a game I now I will come back to time and time again, just for a few rounds. And then maybe a few more.
Man, this game frustrated me so many times! Some of those times it was my own brain not being up to task, but some I feel was the game not being very clear with what it wanted you to do. Despite that, I loved it. The second game this year that filled several pages of a notebook. I really love games that make me do that, for some reason. Really cool presentation as well.
One of the biggest surprises for me this year. Didn't think I would care about a Prince of Persia game again, but love metroidvanias, and this is a good one. Great combat system, really fun abilities and a fun story. Some frustration here and there, but that is expected in a difficult metroidvania.
I loved the first one, and I loved this. Just a little bit less. It picked up towards the end, and made everything before it better, by the way the story unfolds. The first game was more clear in what was happening, every scenario making more sense in the larger narrative in way. Here the scenarios often seem completely unrelated, until you later in the game realize they actually are very related to what is happening. I can highly recommend it if you liked the first one, which you have to play first I think.
The only multiplayer games I play I play with my brothers. Who all have small children now so gaming time has become scarce. But earlier this year they spent the little time they had with me in Helldivers II. And it was some of the most fun I have had in a game with them. But because I don't play with randoms for various reasons, I haven't played this since April. Which is a bummer, I really want to get back to it! The feeling of always teetering on "we are fucked!" and "we are going to make it!" is unparalleled. All the guns I tried was at least fun, if not always powerful enough, the armors look amazing and the fact that none of the battle passes are time sensitive is great. Such a fun game!
