Games of the Year List Archive (2010 - 2021)
Game of the Year 2010
2010 is a very important year for me in regards to video games. It's really the first year I had a regular flow of money. Seeing how video games are my number 1 hobby naturally a nice big chunk of my paycheck went to that. So actually buying and playing more than 10 current video games this year I am actually capable of making a top 10 list for the year. Thinking about this list is really hard. Some of these games I loved but are completely absent from the list which breaks my heart but that just shows you how awesome 2010 was so let's get started.
1. Mass Effect 2
While I had high expectation for Dead Rising 2 that Dead Rising 2 met, Mass Effect 2 had high expectation and it completely blew it out of the water. When I was writing this list the first thing I did was put Mass Effect 2 at number one, while I was changing games, moving games, putting in, putting out games Mass Effect 2 sat at number one and it didn't move. Every aspect of the game is perfect. The characters, the plot, the combat, the improvement on Mass Effect 1, everything makes this game fantastic, amazing, stunning and my Game of the Year for 2010.
2. Dead Rising 2
I had high expectation for Dead Rising 2 and every single expectation was met. It's the masterful blend of complete crazy and serious drama that makes Dead Rising, Dead Rising. Chuck Greene maybe is the best character of the year. Everyone is just such a dick to Chuck when he has done nothing wrong. I love Dead Rising 2's upsetting difficulty and charm. Worth it.
3. Limbo
Wow. Limbo is amazing. It's a blend of genre that work so well that it's almost undefinable. Limbo has the distinct claim of being the only game I was horrified at. This game can be scary when it wants to. When you are running along and out of nowhere a bear trap kills you with no warning, you shit yourself. The graphics and sound add to the atmosphere which is built on a great system of platforming and puzzle solving.
4. Flotilla
Flotilla started a fire. It was my first Steam game I bought and then 62 games later Flotilla still is the best on that list. It's amazing how strategic space combat and farm animal drama goes so well together. Its design makes it easy to understand but it can be fucking hard. The characters make the game though. I never stopped smiling at the sight of Navy Space Deer. You must play this game.
5. Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption didn't 'click' with me. Something about it I just don't like but I cannot figure out why. Everything about this game is expertly created with that Rockstar polish. Characters, the graphics, the music, the voice acting is all 5 star, A-list stuff but something didn't get me or I didn't get it. It's the Far Cry 2 of 2010. But even with my personal problems with the game I can still see this as a fantastic game.
6. Super Meat Boy
This game is amazing. Some aspects of this game I love and some I absolutely fucking hate. For a game to give you these emotions of pure hatred but you still want to play through it and finish it is signs of a fantastic game and fortunately for Super Meat Boy it totally is.
7. Fallout: New Vegas
I loved Morrowind, I loved Oblivion, I loved Fallout 3 and unsurprisingly I love Fallout: New Vegas. New Vegas had what Fallout 3 lacks and that's variety. The location of Vegas is filled with life and dark secrets that 3 lacked. The characters are expressive and some of them are funny. Building all of that on top of the excellent gameplay makes Fallout: New Vegas from good to great.
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops
I think this is the greatest Call of Duty game ever. Beats CoD 2, CoD 4 and Modern Warfare 2 easily. Treyarch did what I thought was impossible and that is make Call of Duty fresh again. All of the story is great, the twists and turns keep you going and keeps you on your toes. Going from Vietnam to Russian POW camps to the mountains makes every level different. Plus the Call of Duty multiplayer which is still amazing that Treyarch improves on even more. I think my statement is justified.
9. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Now I am not an Assassin's Creed fan. I don't even remember what the first one did. But when Assassin's Creed 2 came along and I played it I was impressed. The way Ubisoft recreated Italian culture is amazing. It was different which is something I loved. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood builds on what AC2 did and adds and refines which made Brotherhood leaps over what AC2 did. It adds a whole massive city, new characters, new weapons and the most unique multiplayer mode in the last few years. This is a game worth playing.
10. Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time
I doubt you know what this game is, which is a shame because this little indie game from Stickmen Studios shows you what a little creative gameplay and a little personality can do for a game. This is basically Garry's Mod with structure. But what Garry's Mod has in amount Doc Clock has in personality as Doc Clock and his little robot friend make jibes at Doc Clock. One of the best surprises of the year.
Game of the Year 2011
This year may not have been the best year of gaming overall but it is certainly the most varied. Some of the games that came out this year cannot be compared to others from years past. Some of these games may never be duplicated ever again. No matter who you are you’ll find at least one game this year that you’ll cling onto like a child to her mother. It’s truly a great time to be a video game enthusiast.
Here is my personal top ten games of 2011 (Going from best down).
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
I have been waiting for Skyrim for over half a decade. I preordered the Collector’s Edition months before a Collector’s Edition even existed. I specifically took my first extended break off work the week it came out. I played it for 60 hours less than 120 hours after it was released and during all that time I enjoyed every second of it. The Elder Scrolls is my favourite series in gaming. I know lore and history off by heart. I played 300+ hours of Morrowind and Oblivion. I’m going to play Skyrim for years. It does what Elder Scrolls does with every game but it does it better than anything else out there. The best moments in the game are better than the scripted moments of Battlefield or Call of Duty. Skyrim is far and away my favourite game of the year and possibly in this generation of consoles. It’s that fucking good...
2. Dark Souls
I’ll never forget the experience of Dark Souls for as long as I live. I’ll never forget that moment when I saw something glimmering in the distance only to have a giant boulder fly out of the darkness and insta-kill me. I’ll never forget the moment fighting the church gargoyle only for another one to show up midfight. I’ll never forget the pure fear I had when a seemingly dead dragon rises from his sleep as I frantically try to run away. Dark Souls affected me outside the game more than anything in any medium. All of the stress, fear and joy I felt during my playtime is something that will never happen to me again. It will change the way you look at games, forever.
3. Portal 2
Two years ago if you asked me “How do you follow up Portal?” I would have said you couldn’t, and while Portal 2 still needed to match that moment of GLaDOS’ turn back in 2007 it got really close. Any sequel that can not only make a more interesting and funny character than GLaDOS but do it multiple times is already beating expectations. But it doesn’t just make the story better, it makes the gameplay better giving us the most evil, devilish puzzles in years. Portal 2 is not perfect but if you can give us a reasonable follow-up to one of the best games ever then that alone is indicative of Portal 2’s quality.
4. Dead Island
Like L.A. Noire I’ve been waiting for a game like Dead Island for years. I wanted a realistic zombie game in which I’m interacting with people with realistic expectations. You’re not cutting zombies in half with a chainsaw, you’re smashing them down with a paddle or iron rod. You’re not out to kill mutated animals. It’s survival. The frantic moments running through the city streets with almost no health with a dozen zombies chasing me is my most memorable gameplay moment of the year. I got the feeling that I’ll be playing Dead Island for years, technical issues be damned!
5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Despite my massive issue with the colours of Deus Ex: Human Revolution (or really just one colour) I loved Deus Ex. The best level design since the original Portal, Deus Ex: Human Revolution shows that relevant player choices can be held outside of a conversation tree depending on how you play a level. You’ll want to play through Deus Ex: Human Revolution more than once to discover the world, themes and ideals it brings to the gaming audience.
6. L.A. Noire
I’ve been waiting for a game like L.A. Noire for years. A detective story where the game doesn’t hold your hand. Where you make your own observations and decisions based on your bias instead of the characters. You can make mistakes, accuse the wrong person, miss a piece of evidence and completely fuck it up. I really hope this game revolutionises the genre and brings it out of the terrible PC market of TV shows and a casual audience. This is all on top of brilliant setting and tone plus the best facial animation anywhere. L.A. Noire is the perfect game for the budding detective.
7. Batman: Arkham City
Despite having similar features to its big brother, Arkham City shows us that lightning can strike twice for Rocksteady. Giving us both the famous timeless villains and the lesser known bad guys from the Batman universe it delves into the often fantastic Batman lore and fiction. It has the realism and tone of the Nolan films with the whimsy, colour and creativity of the Animated Series. In my opinion this is the best Batman you can get, in any medium.
8. Saints Row: The Third
There is never a dull moment in Saints Row: The Third. The ultimate evidence that fun gameplay is better than realistic immersion, Saints Row shows the industry that you can make a game with adult humour without being immature. Fantastic scenarios and writing built on top of functional gameplay, Saints Row: The Third is a must play for the person who just wants to go with the flow.
9. Mortal Kombat
Despite being banned in my country I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Mortal Kombat so trust me when I say the importing process and illegal material I’m currently handling is completely worth it. Mortal Kombat has resurrected the series after giving itself a fatality with ‘Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe’. Simple combat mechanics allowing new players to feel empowered plus the best story mode in the history of fighting games makes this an easy choice for my top ten.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
While critics dismiss this as ‘Twilight Princess ate Wind Waker’ and having not changed a 25+ year old formula Skyward Sword is proof of the concept of “Don’t fix what ain’t broke”. The Wii Motion Plus adds that strategic element to an aging Zelda combat system by making each encounter both a combat and puzzle scenario. Add the great presentation and graphics plus the best Zelda story ever and you have a fantastic entry in a legendary series.
Game of the Year 2012
2012 is the starting motions of change in gaming, both the industry as a whole and myself, personally. After years of low spec PC gaming I finally got myself a respectable gaming PC. Not only have I played more PC exclusive games but much better ports of games I would usually play on a console. As such I have expanded my horizons and joined the PC gaming elitist club. While 2012 hasn't been an overall good year for gaming its bright spots shine better than ever and today we acknowledge that.
1. Journey
Journey is perfect. It's flawless. It's faultless.
There are very few things in the world that I would call 'perfect'. Tetris, Daft Punk's 'Alive 2007' and Fight Club are things I would consider perfect and I can say with absolute confidence that Journey is perfect. Unfortunately, as great as The Walking Dead is, it has flaws, major faults that degrade the experience like its performance and its save bugs. Journey is amazing in every aspect, at every degree during every second you're playing it. As of this writing Journey has the best graphics I've ever seen. It runs silky smooth despite looking absolutely mind blowing. Its music is haunting and uplifting with beautiful mixing with gameplay. The multiplayer connects you both physically and emotionally with another human that's never been done before. It brings two people to such an emotional connection it becomes truly beautiful. I've never felt so connected with a stranger in my entire life.
Journey is an experience. If you're ever asked 'Are Video Games Art?', Journey will be the answer.
2. The Walking Dead
What can you say about The Walking Dead that hasn't already been said. The first true video game drama, it's storytelling at its absolute finest. It's such an amazing display of voice acting, writing, set pieces, drama and gut wrenching choices that it transcends the media it's for. Nothing is like The Walking Dead and I don't think anything will be like The Walking Dead for quite some time.
3. XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a video game first. It's not out to tell a gripping story or amaze you with cutscenes and graphics, it's here to make sure you have fun playing it and it does that so well, it's amazing. Just flawless gameplay with a perfect blend of strategy and resource management. I usually don't like turn based games so this game must be pretty damn good to be this high on my list.
4. Fez
Fez drove me mad. I played through 98% of Fez without any guides so each puzzle solved was to me a little victory. I love a puzzle game that feels immensely rewarding. I've said before that the greatest puzzles ever made make you feel like the smartest man alive when you solve them and Fez had at least a dozen of them. I've never been so glad writing down notes for anything in my life when I was playing Fez.
5. DayZ
I don't care if this is a mod for a 3 year old game, DayZ is a game I've been waiting for a very long time for. We finally get a zombie survival game in which the main objective is survive. The best multiplayer atmosphere ever as well as the most terrifying multiplayer experience, DayZ truly is a landmark game in both gameplay and multiplayer. How good must a mod be if it beats 5 other full retail games?
6. Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 is stupid fun. It's not a revolution in first person shooter design but what it does do is take first person shooter design in a different direction. Allowing you to roam free around a beautiful world, attacking enemy strongholds at any angle is a treat with mechanics that mend well with this type of gameplay. It shows the world that you don't have to be the next thing in shooters to make a compelling shooter. Also, Vaas.
7. Hitman: Absolution
The return of Agent 47 not only brings more sly assassinating but it also makes the story more personal and allows you to be invested with 47 much more than your typical Hitman story of 'kill this guy, kill that guy'. It also brings the classic Hitman gameplay to both the old school Hitman level design and modern stealth game design. It also boasts not one, but two great villains as well as memorable setups for killing. Hitman: Absolution is a great example of mixing old with new.
8. Mass Effect 3
Say what you will about the ending but Mass Effect 3 gives out an emotional conclusion to the Sci-Fi trilogy of this generation. The characters and dialogue are done to such a degree of polish that even the littlest things can put a massive smile on any hardcore Mass Effect fan. It may not be the best overall package for the series but the bright spots shine the brightest in the entire trilogy with moments that will keep with you for a long time.
9. Assassin's Creed III
Assassin's Creed III mixes the old with the new as we get into the first adventure with Connor. The unexpected setting and location breathe fresh air into a stale franchise with its unique frontier landscape, expanded weapon sets and interesting characters. Despite the lacklustre conclusion to Desmond's story, Assassin's Creed III shows the refined gameplay of Assassin's Creed works without Ezio.
10. PlanetSide 2
PlanetSide 2 makes you feel both small and important in its mind rattling 100's vs 100's battles with each individual soldier playing an important role in the fight. Its diverse character classes and emphasis on teamwork make the game more enjoyable compared to your typical 8 on 8 shooter whether you're a lonely medic healing your platoon or a heavy MAX unit defending a helipad. Not only does PlanetSide 2 nail the scale, but it nails the action too.
Game of the Year 2013
Fuck, this year was rough. Not just with what has happened this year but with game releases too. I don't know if this means something good or bad but never has a year felt so consistent with the quality of video games. That plus the fact that so many of the best games this year are so far apart in terms of concept that making a list of 2013's best games is going to be rough for anyone. But I've done it the last three years and whether Luigi likes it or not I'm going to make a list of the top ten best games of the year.
Honourable mentions go to Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Super Mario 3D World as those games may have been on the list had I been able to play them.
1. Dead Rising 3
Dead Rising 3 justified the purchase of a $600 console by itself. One game single-handedly convinced me that an Xbox One was worth owning. I love the look and design of the characters. They don't look like supermodels, they look like normal people. I love the improvements to the combat system. Being able to sprint and build weapons anywhere makes the game much more playable and enjoyable. I love the boss encounters and how completely absurd they are. I love the closed-off environments and how you actually have to plan your movements with an emphasis on indoor environments. I love the surprises and references to the last games. I just love this game thoroughly. The only thing I can find negative about Dead Rising 3 is that there isn't a freeroam mode so I can keep playing it. If the worst thing I can say about a game is that I cannot play as much as I want to then that has to be without a doubt my personal Game of the Year for 2013.
2. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
The reasons why I love Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons are the same reasons why I love Journey the year before. It is pure. It does everything it needs to and does what it does to near perfection. Everything in this game has a point whether it's showing you a gameplay mechanic or learning something new about the characters. Because of its short length Brothers feels like one piece. It doesn't have a point where you feel like you should stop. There is no low valley you can rest in. It keeps you until you finish it. But the one thing it does that makes it one of the best games of the last 5 years is it proves to everyone that an artistic game can tell its story not just through graphics or sound but the way you play it.
3. The Last of Us
From what I've read and heard online about The Last of Us this year is I like what everyone else dislikes and vice versa. I think the strongest part of the game is not the story or graphics but the gameplay. I like the fact that Ellie progresses from useless to useful without arbitrary fail safes (I'm looking at you Bioshock Infinite). I REALLY liked the multiplayer, it's the most surprising thing I've played all year. I know the story is good but we have had 'Escort Woman Through Dangerous Environment' for years now and The Last of Us doesn't do that any better than an Ico or Walking Dead but what it does better than almost every other game is that it makes you feel like the character you're playing and that is the reason why The Last of Us is as good as it is.
4. Payday 2
Payday 2 is the most fun I've had with friends all year. A cooperative game that actually requires cooperation and communication! Myself and the group of people I play this game with have become somewhat experts on the game. We know every mission back to front, every weapon's strengths and weaknesses, every talent tree and specs. We know the game back to front and with Overkill's commitment to adding new content regularly we have much more to look forward to in the new year.
5. DmC Devil May Cry
I was patient with DmC Devil May Cry. I was burned enough from Devil May Cry 4 to not be interested in this game. The new look of Dante didn't help either. But at the end of the year DmC Devil May Cry was at a price I was willing to pay and boy did it earn its money and then some. Memorable characters, a challenging unique combat system, fantastic level designs and the best bosses of 2013 easily justify calling DmC Devil May Cry one of the best games of 2013.
6. Dota 2
I hate that I like this game so much. I really do. It has the roster and balancing of a fighting game with the construction and tactics of an RPG. This is basically MMO PVP on speed. Every minute movement, every gold piece spent and stat point increase can mean the entire match. Such a tightly balanced metagame with such a large roster is almost unheard of. Plus all of the functionality outside the core game including live tournaments, item marketplace and guide systems is what truly makes Dota 2 the best competitive game on the PC today.
7. Persona 4 Arena
This game didn't come out in this region till this year so I'm considering it a 2013 game because I like it that much. I'm not really much of a novel guy. I like reading autobiographies and retelling of history more than actual fiction but god damn did I read through every word of Persona 4 Arena's story mode. I soaked it up like a sponge. I wished how they presented this to you was better and more linear but what they DID present to you was a wonderfully constructed story. Labrys' story alone could have been its own story it's that good. This amazing story just so happens to be inside one of the most unique and well-constructed fighting games in the last decade so you're getting a great deal all-round.
8. Grand Theft Auto V
I love unique stories. Let's make a multi-million (billion?) dollar game where one of the main protagonists is an old, balding bank robber who sees a therapist. I enjoyed the story in Grand Theft Auto V more than I probably should have. It's a more light-hearted attempt at a serious story. It feels like an actual movie but conceptualised as a video game and it shows. The production value is out of this world with a level of scope that hasn't been seen since the islands of Just Cause 2. It's just a fantastic time and hey, I kinda liked the multiplayer.
9. Animal Crossing: New Leaf
I haven't played Animal Crossing for months and that's why it's on this list. I just can't. My garden's probably a mess, my friends are going to be pissed that I left and Isabelle is pulling out her fur trying to run a town by herself. I've attached myself to so many characters that I don't want to see their disapproving adorable faces. What if I go back and Grizzly has left me? I haven't talked to Mable in forever! Is Moose still working out? It's these reasons why I can never go back and also why it's one of my favourites of 2013.
10. Arma III
ArmA III is exactly what you wanted out of an ArmA sequel. Better graphics, better performance, better editors and a much MUCH better campaign (even if it was added weeks and months after release). It blends the two opposites of first person shooters: realistic and enjoyable to blend it in such a way that both parties will leave satisfied when completing a hard-fought battle unlike so many other shooters today.
Game of the Year 2014
I'm going to be honest with you. I don't think this was a very good year in gaming. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of great games that came out this year but there was a lot of bullshit as well. Not just in the games themselves but on the outer edges of this hobby and to me it brought everything down. Still I managed to find ten games which I find extremely enjoyable.
Apologies to Shadows of Mordor, Dragon Age Inquisition, Shovel Knight and Watchdogs for not playing you this year. It's not you, it's money.
1. World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
They got me.
I honestly thought I was done. Cataclysm was so terrible that I didn't even get the extra 5 levels to hit the cap. Even after Cataclysm I thought Blizzard had lost me when they made Mists of Pandaria; a game based on a joke from Warcraft 3. But then came Warlords of Draenor...
Instead of adding another new unbalanced class or two more unnecessary races they actually add something completely new and interesting: Garrisons. Instead of making a new uninteresting landmass we go back in time to a place dripping with history: Draenor. Instead of boring cardboard cut-out characters no one cares about they give us DOZENS of historically important characters with more depth than Blackrock: The Warlords.
I don't know what Blizzard were doing after Mists of Pandaria but someone gave them a well-warranted kick in the ass and pumped out the best expansion pack since Wrath of the Lich King. It is well worth my time, subscription and title for my personal Game of the Year.
2. Jazzpunk
Jazzpunk had no expectations. You cannot have expectations for Jazzpunk because no matter how outlandish or insane or weird those expectations are Jazzpunk will meet them, surpass them and destroy future expectations. Talking at length about Jazzpunk is a disservice to the game because you need to go into Jazzpunk completely oblivious to what you are getting yourself into. I don't want to say any more than that. Go play Jazzpunk.
3. Mario Kart 8
I didn't think Nintendo had it in them. The cynic inside me looked at Mario Kart 8 and thought "Well, the Wii version sold like 30 million units. I'm sure they don't even need to try to make this good and it will probably sell despite itself". Now I look at Mario Kart 8 and think "Well, they certainly proved me wrong". Nintendo didn't even need to do this but someone or something clicked so they went and made the best damn Mario Kart ever. Fantastic tracks, great music and mind-melting graphics that appear to be achieved by witchcraft. Mario Kart 8 is something every Wii U owner needs to own.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
It's hard to comprehend that a Metal Gear Solid game that you can finish in 20 minutes is sitting right behind Metal Gear Solid 3 as the best game in the series but here we are. Seriously, this game franchise has once again perfected stealth. Not only has it improved the way you play Metal Gear Solid games but all stealth games. The action is so fluid and the game both looks and runs fantastic. It might just be a teaser but it is one hell of a teaser. I cannot wait for The Phantom Pain.
5. Goat Simulator
This is a really stupid game and I love it. The developers of Goat Simulator knew exactly what they were making. A dumb physics sandbox with a goat. There are a million little physics games like that. But what makes Goat Simulator different and much, MUCH better than all the rest is what's around it. Sure, you can just go around headbutting things but you can also find the golden statues, you can collect the costumes and power-ups, you can find all the little secrets. There is actually stuff to do and not only that almost all of it is worth doing. The world is your oyster and the only thing stopping you is your imagination and the skybox.
6. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
Alright, I can admit it. I am a Persona fanboy. I love these god damn video games and I don't think anything is going to stop it. Persona Q is a very interesting game and on paper sounds terrible. They've taken the combat of the other Persona games to embellish with map-creating and labyrinths while at the same time almost completely removing the famous social interactions. But that embellishment breathes new life into a somewhat ageing combat system and what social interaction is there is right there with the best stuff from 3 and 4. It's the greatest fan service and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.
7. Dark Souls II
Prepare to Die Again. Dark Souls II takes absolutely no punches with its brutality both in its gameplay and its world. It's difficult but fair. It punishes mistakes swiftly with no remorse. Its world is full of monsters and locations that will make you both giddy with excitement and dread the unknown. Even though it fell slightly short of the original it is still an exceptional game.
8. South Park: The Stick of Truth
Perhaps the greatest TV show-based video game of all time, South Park: The Stick of Truth brings the hardcore, cutting-edge, nothing-is-sacred comedy of the TV show and blends it with RPG mechanics and a unique combat system. Great scenarios and a plethora of South Park references, Matt Stone and Trey Parker have set the bar for what TV show video games should be.
9. Hearthstone
If Blizzard knows anything it's how to grab you and never let go. Hearthstone is the perfect casual game. By that I mean you can do something else while also playing Hearthstone. Watch wrestling, chat to friends, listen to a podcast. Almost anything that doesn't need your full attention can be supplemented with Hearthstone and that is what makes it so great. It's both simple and complex enough to cater to almost anyone. Once the mobile phone versions are released you can expect productivity across the world to go down.
10. The Walking Dead: Season Two
The Walking Dead does something that no other game does with a near-perfect execution and that is convey negative emotions like dread, fear, doubt and regret. Season 2 continues the emotional roller coaster by adding new characters, bringing back old characters and fleshing out Clementine to become one of the strongest female leads in years. While Season 2 did lose some momentum on the last few episodes it left me wanting more and has me excited for Season 3.
Game of the Year 2015
Unfortunately due to my pending trip to the land of the rising sun I was unable to buy many of the games I wanted to play this year. There are plenty of things I would love to get a crack at like Xenoblade Chronicles X, Just Cause 3, Splatoon, Cities XXL and more. I just either didn't want to put the money down for a full priced game or wouldn't have the time in the case of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
Still despite not playing many things this time around here are my top 10 games of 2015.
Also editor's note: Persona 5 would have made this list without a doubt if it wasn't delayed :(
1. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is a paradox. It must have come from some alternate dimension. A game that has the tightness and detail of a linear corridor shooter like a Call of Duty with choice and content of the wide open world like a Grand Theft Auto. It seemingly has an endless supply of things to do without watering it down with pointless side quests like mini games. It is all in service of its core mechanic and that is stealth action.
My favourite thing about this game is the stories you can tell as a player. I could tell you about the mission where I had to extract 6 children in the middle of a thunderstorm with no long range weapons. I can tell you the story of how I fought a helicopter with a rocket launcher on horseback.
What's funny to me is that the biggest complaint I've heard about Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the lack of content. A game with literally hundreds of missions that can be tackled dozens of ways is somehow bereft of content. Sure, there are things we can nitpick on but these nitpicks are mere scratches on the battleship that is this game.
I can say without hesitation that Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the best action game ever and easily my personal Game of the Year for 2015.
2. Rocket League
Rocket League was a perfect storm. It came out at exactly the right time for an audience that didn't even know it wanted it. It's a game so deceptively simple yet devilishly hard it makes you strive to become better at playing it. Its controls are damn near perfect, its customisation and support are second to none and it all looks great. A game so conceptually sound that you could show a match to anyone and they'll pick up on its rules almost instantly. It's one of the rare games that makes you have as much fun watching as you do playing.
3. Life Is Strange
When you come at the King you better not miss. Telltale Games got its multi-studio, multi-franchise arses handed to them by a French indie developer's game about teenage girls. Life is Strange is not a story-driven game where you just go point to point to the next character interaction. It's a world that you dive in head first. Naturally awkward writing that makes the characters feel like real people, interactions that have meaning to them that you actively seek out and the best environment design I have ever seen in a video game, Life is Strange is hopefully the game that tells the industry that there is no story too niche for the medium.
4. Destiny
I bought Destiny last year and thought it was middling. So middling in fact that it was beaten out of my top ten last year by The Walking Dead: Season 2. However during the beginning of the year there was a drought of games and not wanting to put money down I decided to finish the last bit of Destiny. Then I bought the two expansion packs. Then I bought The Taken King and before I knew it I fell in love with Destiny. The Taken King is probably the best piece of DLC I have played in years. Say what you will about how much content is in it, the content that is there is light years ahead of the competition. It gave me a sense of wonder I haven't felt since World of Warcraft. I am very interested to see what Year 3 will bring us.
5. Persona 4: Dancing All Night
Persona 4: Dancing All Night is easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. Not in a sense that I thought it wasn't going to be good. I knew it was going to be at least okay but what I didn't expect was how good it actually was. An amazing looking game with a soundtrack to die for and a story mode that has absolutely no right to be anywhere near as good as it was, Persona 4: Dancing All Night was a perfect spin-off game to one of my favourite franchises ever. Now we just need to wait for the main course...
6. Super Mario Maker
Super Mario Maker has seemingly done the impossible by making a creation game where the playing and the creating is equally as fun as the other. I love seeing what people have made in the months since launch. I love being able to have vague ideas in my mind and execute them in the creator with almost no issues. It hits that sweet spot of complexity and simplicity where if I have a concept I want to act on I can do it. With what looks like limitless content Super Mario Maker is going to be stuck inside my Wii U for a very long time.
7. Viscera Cleanup Detail
One of the very few games that I bought in early access and kept tabs on until release Viscera Cleanup Detail is one of those games that make me feel like a weirdo for liking it. While on the surface it may seem like a game of Space Janitor (and it is) it's a lot more than that. The environments aren't just generic rooms with stuff thrown everywhere. It tells a story as you're trying to piece together what even happened in this blood-soaked room as well as trying to collect backstory or door codes for more rooms. It's extremely relaxing and dark as hell, Viscera Cleanup Detail is a great game for people looking for something a little different.
8. Halo 5: Guardians
While Halo 5: Guardians' single player campaign was not as amazing as prior entries its multiplayer is where Halo 5: Guardians really shines. Of course it has its top of the genre arena multiplayer that fans have loved for 15 years but its additions are what make it a must play. Warzone is a genius way to capitalise on Halo's strengths with vehicles, weapons and how to counteract them. Plus its REQ packs system is extremely reasonable and it makes you come back for more. The completely 100% free map DLC is a nice bonus too.
9. Bloodborne
Bloodborne is 'Subvert your Expectations: The Video Game'. Oh so you think you know a Miyazaki FromSoftware game. They give you the refined core of the Souls games but remove everything you know from the outer rim. Think you can hide behind a shield? Think you can run head first into a boss over and over again? It's enough of a familiar feeling to make you feel comfortable but as soon as you feel safe it throws you in the deep end. A perfect stop gap between Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne is a challenge every fan of action RPGs should take.
10. Mortal Kombat X
Mortal Kombat X is something of a rare breed. Take an existing franchise, rework almost everything about it: story, characters, mechanics and construct it together to form something better than what you had before. It is something Mortal Kombat has tried to do multiple times in the past with limited success but the folks over at NetherRealm Studios have finally nailed it down with its alternate universe story, fresh new characters and bringing a new light to older characters. Not to mention the superb first-in-class fighting game mechanics. Mortal Kombat X should be on the shelf of any fighting game fan.
Game of the Year 2016
I'm sure many of you have considered 2016 to be downright fucking terrible but at least to me personally it's been a pretty good year. I finally got to fulfil one of my lifelong dreams by taking a trip to Japan doing such awesome things like eating a steak at the legendary Ribera Steakhouse, seeing the Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion, playing fighting games at Club Sega in Akihabara, exploring the Studio Ghibli museum and going on a shopping spree at the Kyoani store in Kyoto. I also got accepted into University as well. All in all it was a pretty good year.
While I haven't played all the games I wanted to this year (shoutout to Dishonored 2, Superhot, and Trackmania Turbo) I did play enough to make a top ten list so here we go.
1. Overwatch
As of this writing I currently have 1279 hours of playtime in Team Fortress 2. It was a game I loved so much that I helped run a server, created a community around that server and made some unforgettable friends and memories. Unfortunately TF2 started to fade. People were getting tired of 24-hour 2-Fort and the heavy amount of scrap metal, tickets and other junk shoved into the game. My friends and I wanted to recapture those moments again with a new game but we just couldn't find anything even close to that.
Then came Overwatch.
I am almost certain 10 years from now I'll still be playing Overwatch. It has the best elements of MOBAs with interesting abilities and character strategies where you don't just stick with one character. It has multiplayer maps so good and well designed I would almost call them perfect. A microtransaction system that is extremely fair. I could gush on forever about how amazing Overwatch is but instead all I can do is give it a personal recommendation from me and my personal Game of the Year.
2. World of Warcraft: Legion
Two years ago I placed World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor as my personal Game of the Year for 2014. That came out in mid-November and by the time Game of the Year came around it had only been out for about a month still somewhat fresh. Two months later I dropped it due to lack of interesting content since the only part of Warlords that was good was the levelling progression which was all I had played till that point. World of Warcraft: Legion has been out twice as long and I'm still enjoying the hell out of it. A levelling progression that allows you to tackle the content when you want however you want, class-specific artefacts that give every character their own personal story and dungeons and raids so good I've gotten back into hardcore raiding for the first time since Burning Crusade. Legion is on par with the very peak of World of Warcraft and well worth my subscription.
3. Hitman
There is a perfect description for Hitman and it's 'stupid fun'. It's just stupidly fun. It improves on every concept that the previous games tried and failed on whether it's the insanely large and detailed levels with near infinite replay value, the variety of weapons from giant axes to exploding golf balls and the deadpan tone of the game's humour via the great writing and voice acting of numerous NPCs. I just love this game with all my murderous heart.
4. Forza Horizon 3
This was my first pure driving game I've played probably since Project Gotham Racing 3 nearly 10 years ago and boy have I missed out. Forza Horizon 3 was an interesting game for me because not only does it take place in my home country but it takes place literally outside my house on the Gold Coast. The car handling is absolutely excellent, the environments are varied and all fun to drive through and the online interaction makes sure you've always got something to do. I mean, what other game allows you to drive a Hatsune Miku car through an Australian desert?
5. The Witness
I have a very love/hate relationship with The Witness. When you're literally stuck in an area you cannot get out of unless you solve this seemingly impossible puzzle you want to break the TV screen but when the solution you've been looking for finally hits you it makes you want to cry. The best puzzle game since the original Portal it's a game you'll be digging through for hours trying to wrap your brain around both the puzzle and the world itself.
6. Inside
Inside was one of those rare games where I played entirely through from start to finish in one night and had to sit down and think about it well after it was completed. It surprises you at every possible turn adding new mechanics at just the right time, it gives you the tiniest hint of story for those who go looking and it has the visuals of a melancholic adventure despite the graphics often depicting disturbing violence. I would recommend this to almost anyone.
7. Dark Souls III
The swan song of probably the most influential game franchise of the last 5 years, Dark Souls III brought the best aspects of every game FromSoftware has released since Demon's Souls. Frighteningly memorable bosses, well-designed areas that are worth exploring and a perfection on what already is the best third-person melee combat today, it gives me confidence that whatever is next for Miyazaki it will be great.
8. Tom Clancy's The Division
There's been something missing with today's current generation of open world games. Everyone is focusing on scale rather than density. You can have the biggest game world but if it's just a forest with a few trees I'll completely lose interest. The Division is the closest I've seen a AAA developer come to density over scale. You're not exploring a gigantic city but half of one New York borough. It feels lived in and real. This open world also hosts a wonderful mix of MMORPG progression and smooth third-person shooter combat. It may have its flaws but the bright parts outshine the dullness.
9. Persona 5
Now I know what you're thinking "Persona 5 isn't out until April! Why is it on a 2016 Game of the Year list?" That's because I imported the Japanese version. Now Persona 5's inclusion on this list is solely based on the first major dungeon of the game which, clocking in at about 15 hours, is still a full game's worth of playtime. Even without including story and characters I can tell you purely from a gameplay perspective this is the best playing RPG I have ever played. If Atlus can play their cards right with the localisation then I can assure you Persona 5 will make it on my 2017 Game of the Year list... just a lot higher.
10. Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE
I'm so glad this game came out in the west. A completely original concept for a JRPG adding idol culture, music and showmanship to the already tried and tested mechanics of a Shin Megami Tensei game. This freshly optimistic game from Atlus could have been a much better game with a few tweaks to the characters, difficulty curve and addition of English voice acting but even with those flaws it still makes Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE an enjoyable game.
Game of the Year 2017
This was quite possibly the worst year in history to start university. With all of the amazing games being released it was absolute torture not having the time or money to play everything I wanted. Between the Nintendo Switch release, VR finding its footing and what seems like a must-play game being released every month, 2017 will go down in history as one of the best years in gaming.
Despite the time and fund limits I still was able to play some absolutely amazing games this year even with missing some great stuff like Horizon Zero Dawn, Prey, Cuphead, Sonic Mania, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and Resident Evil 7. Regardless, here are my top ten Games of the Year.
Also a side note, Nier: Automata is a bad game and if you want to debate your wrong opinion feel free to do so.
1. Persona 5
For 97 hours Persona 5 made me feel like I was a Japanese high school student fighting against corruption.
I don't usually project myself onto other characters in video games but I just could not help myself with Persona 5. I actually felt at home when returning to the attic in LeBlanc. I had a personal investment into my friends' problems not because I wanted to advance the story or gain gameplay benefits but because as a person I wanted to help them. Even if you excuse the extreme emotional attachment to the stories and characters Persona 5 also features the best turn-based combat I have ever seen, a presentation that literally made my jaw drop and improved on the previous games so much that it makes it almost impossible to go back to. It is probably my most anticipated game ever and it still blew me away.
For about a week and a half in April 2017 I was not myself. I was Kaito Tori, Tokyo high school student and Persona wielder. Nothing has ever made me feel that way. I have no choice but to give it my personal Game of the Year and perhaps Game of my Life.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
There is not a single person on Earth that doesn't yearn for adventure. The longing to go out into a mysterious world, fight against an evil and discover its wonders. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is perhaps the closest thing to going on an adventure that I would likely ever experience. A vast, open world that rewards a player's natural curiosity. A combat system that is so simple to execute but is woven into complex systems like AI, weather and equipment that make every battle unique and exhilarating. A game that revolutionised open world gameplay design to the point of making other games dated and formulaic in one fell swoop. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a dream game I thought I would never play.
3. Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey is the first time in a long time that a game actually made me verbally say "Oh wow". A game so good it makes me angry that games like it only come once every few years. Nintendo changes the formula in ways you would have never expected and it works so well you would think it had been a part of Mario's design since the very first game. Absolutely perfect controls and level design with unmatched depth, Super Mario Odyssey is pure bliss to experience.
4. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
For clarification Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun was released very late in December 2016, well after I had made last year's list so I'm adding it here. I got this game as part of the Humble Monthly deal for November and I absolutely fell in love with it. It takes the best parts of XCOM with the best parts of stealth games and makes an unbelievably polished experience. Articulately designed levels with mechanics used to their full potential alongside the perfect amount of difficulty makes Shadow Tactics one of my favourite strategy games and favourite stealth games ever. That is saying a lot.
5. Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is exactly what I wanted Destiny 2 to be. Sure there could have been more of it but after playing Destiny 1 my expectations were in check. A much better levelling experience with much needed functionality like Nightfall/Raid matchmaking and travel improvements makes Destiny 2 a more sound and overall better game than Destiny 1. If I've had a tiring day Destiny 2 is the game I use to unwind.
6. Heroes of the Storm
Earlier this year Blizzard did a complete overhaul of Heroes of the Storm dubbing it "Heroes of the Storm 2.0". Lightning has once again struck for Blizzard as they created the perfect MOBA experience. All of the complex strategies and team fights of MOBAs without the 50-minute game time or a needlessly complicated item system. I have never played a game of Heroes where I knew I lost the game but still had to play another 20 minutes. To me Heroes of the Storm has everything that is great about MOBAs without the negative aspects that drive so many players away.
7. TrackMania² Lagoon
TrackMania 2 is one of my favourite racing games ever and TrackMania 2: Lagoon is my favourite environment for one of my favourite racing games ever. The others don't have that sense of insanity you want in a TrackMania course but with the additions of roller coaster parts and tweaking the handling of the cars it turns TrackMania 2 from precision driving to an out-of-control wild theme park ride. While it might seem like that it still has the responsive controls you want in a driving game so while you're driving around a sideways loop-de-loop going 200 km/h you never feel like you have lost control. That is impressive and it makes me love TrackMania 2 even more.
8. PUBG: Battlegrounds
I don't think I have ever seen a game go from complete obscurity to one of the biggest games of the year so quickly. As someone who has played Arma and its survival mods for years, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds did something that other games like H1Z1 and DayZ could not which is accessibility. You did not have to learn the quirks of the Arma engine nor deal with unresponsive controls and lacklustre systems of H1Z1. PUBG plays like a normal shooter but includes the details you need like weapon handling and environmental awareness for a survival game to work. It's this combination of accessibility and complexity that makes PUBG more than just a Battle Royale clone.
9. Yakuza 0
One of my friends would not shut up about the Yakuza series. I tried Yakuza 5 when it was on PS Plus but didn't really get into it, jumping into a franchise's 5th entry will do that. What I needed was a fresh starting point and Yakuza 0 was exactly that. A time capsule of 1980's Japan featuring a unique and visceral-feeling combat system mixed together with that signature Japanese wackiness made my playthrough of Yakuza 0 all the more enjoyable.
10. Splatoon 2
I had never played the original Splatoon despite being one of six Wii U owners and now that I have played the sequel I wish I had. An awesome concept with a wonderful looking 'urban Tokyo' presentation, Splatoon 2 was a great introduction to the Nintendo Switch despite its strange quirks.
Game of the Year 2018
I'll be honest. I didn't think this was a good year for video games. Not even comparing it to what was an absolute fucking stellar year last year I would still think this was an underwhelming year. Not as bad as 2014 but still. It also didn't help that I got my first car/money pit and my university schedule ramped up this year I still managed to play some good video games. Although unlike most years there wasn't really a game that consumed me quite like some games from prior years. Regardless here are my top ten games of the year.
Shoutout to the games I didn't play such as God of War, Tetris Effect, Donut County, Dragonball FighterZ and Hitman 2.
1. Yoku's Island Express
I honestly can not accurately describe in words how much I fucking love Yoku's Island Express.
In an industry filled to the brim with triple AAA titles spitting out dark, gloomy and edgy stories about the worst aspects of people. In an industry where indie developers need to weave in real-world politics into their games to remind you how much the world sucks. Here comes a game about a beetle rolling around an island delivering mail in the most delightfully wholesome game I've ever played.
Looking at Yoku's Island Express's beautiful and colourful art style just makes me happy, the soundtrack gets stuck in my head every time I think about it and the gameplay ideas are so ingenious it honestly makes me think why someone had not done this before.
Yoku's Island Express is an expertly crafted game that brings me great joy in a year full of doom and gloom. For that alone almost forces me to make Yoku's Island Express my Game of the Year for 2018.
2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
It has been legitimately a decade since I was last engrossed in a fighting game. Super Smash Bros Ultimate is an absolute celebration of video games with everything you could possibly want from a collection of the greats. Going through the World of Light just to see what spirits show up is a joy in of itself but playing Smash feels fantastic on top of that. With perhaps the best fighting game roster ever with details from people who truly love those characters, Super Smash Bros Ultimate feels like a nostalgic trip condensed into a kick-ass fighting game.
3. Into the Breach
Into the Breach is like Dead Cells in that it is an excellent version of an already tried and true genre however the difference between the two is that Dead Cells stands with the best of the genre while Into the Breach blows every contemporary out of the water. The best strategy game since I don't even know when, Into The Breach distils the strategy concepts down to the core to the point it nearly becomes a puzzle game. Infinitely replayable but incredibly accessible, Into the Breach is going to be installed on my computer for a very long time.
4. Dead Cells
Dead Cells is an awesome video game. I love those procedurally generated rogue-like games such as Rogue Legacy and Spelunky but Dead Cells nailed what those games are missing and that is feel. Dead Cells just feels awesome to play. From rolling through doors to fighting bosses everything feels tight and engaging. The graphics and level design is no slouch either with some of the best pixel art I've ever seen. Dead Cells is going to be one of those games that I might not play for extended periods of time but I will be playing bits and pieces of for years.
5. VRChat
I don't think I have ever laughed harder in my life than I did playing this game, if you can even call it a game. An absolute fucking mess of creativity and functionality, VRChat is something really special. Going through all these environments such as Japanese High Schools to laid-back bars talking to everyone from video game characters to the tsunami of anime girls is a joyful experience. While there is a dark side to VRChat, what I have experienced playing it makes it worthy as one of my favourite games of the year.
6. Marvel's Spider-Man
I basically know Spider-Man from two sources: The Sam Raimi Movie trilogy and Spider-Man video games. I loved the Spider-Man games from the PS1 and Xbox eras. Even the bad ones. So when a big budget Spider-Man game that wasn't tied down to a movie came out I knew I was going to like it and turns out I love it. While I have some quarrels with the swinging feeling a bit too automatic the rest of the package is tightly crafted with a great combat flow and a story way too good for a comic book game. The Arkham franchise now has a contender for Best Comic Book game and I couldn't be happier.
7. The Messenger
The Messenger is the latest game I've played from this list and it was basically my podcast game of choice. Since I just wanted to play the game I skipped almost all dialogue even though I've been told that the dialogue is quite good. Even with something like that removed it still would be one of the best homages to classic 8-bit side-scrollers I've played in the last few years. Controls that are damn near perfect with a graphic style that isn't afraid to leave the confines of the NES/Master System era, The Messenger is a tight platformer worthy of anyone who loves those games.
8. Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4 continues being the best racing game on the planet. While on the surface it doesn't seem like quite the departure from Horizon 3 you would want they have made some very smart choices in changing it up. Seasons really do make a difference allowing players to engage in different styles of cars and race types they may not otherwise go with. Its online environment allows you to play with others seamlessly with fun and rewarding events. Finally, it looks fucking killer on PC. If you've played Horizon 3 it may not be worth the investment at full price but with Xbox Game Pass it is one of the best deals you can get.
9. Red Dead Redemption II
In my 2010 Game of the Year list, I said that Red Dead Redemption was "A-list stuff but something didn't get me or I didn't get it" and that is more or less how I feel about Red Dead Redemption 2. It is one of the most beautiful games I've ever seen featuring an amazing cast of characters who are all portrayed perfectly with excellent performances in a vast world with many things to do. But it just didn't grab me like so many people. I still think it is an enjoyable experience worth my time but I'm not going to say it is my favourite game of the year. It is just a really good video game.
10. Monster Hunter: World
I got Monster Hunter really, REALLY late (December) and unfortunately had no one to play it with so even though I really liked it I can only give it my number 10 spot simply because I wasn't able to get the best out of it. I'm sure if I got some friends to buy it and play it with me more or perhaps got the PC version instead of PS4 I would have enjoyed it more. It's still better than some of the other games I played this year coughFallout76cough.
Game of the Year 2019
Due to several things happening in 2019 (mainly earning more money and Xbox Game Pass), I was able to play a lot more games than usual this year. In prior years, I usually struggled to even get 10 games on my list. This year, I played nearly 30, with plenty more in my back catalogue.
This was also the year I finally invested in a virtual reality headset (which bricked a day later), so yeah—big ups to Oculus for that.
Anyway, here is my definitive list of my top ten games of the year. Once again, shout out to Control, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, and Judgment as games I wished I played but had no time to do so. Also, World of Warcraft Classic and Blood: Fresh Supply for being games that technically came out this year but also technically did not come out this year.
1. Death Stranding
Everything in Death Stranding just clicked with me. I honestly do not know how it did it, but it did. There was something about walking the wasteland of the United States, carrying cargo on my back and trying to avoid BTs that hit every part of my brain that makes me love video games.
The graphics were amazing, with the best performance capture this generation. The soundtrack made me a fan of multiple artists. The story was intriguing right until the very end.
But the thing that made Death Stranding special for me was that I truly believe a game like this has never existed before and possibly will never exist again—a game with a big budget, a huge marketing campaign, and A-list Hollywood talent that is all about walking from A to B with a bunch of ceramics.
In an industry filled with sequels, remakes, and rehashes, Death Stranding is the first truly original game in I don’t even know how long. I don’t think I have ever felt about a game the same way I feel about Death Stranding. It is my Game of the Year without a single doubt.
2. Kingdom Hearts III
I don’t know what I was thinking in July when I thought to myself, “I’m going to play all the Kingdom Hearts games for the first time.” But here we are—nine games later—and Kingdom Hearts III is my second favourite game of the year.
Kingdom Hearts III is not just my second favourite game of 2019; it might be my favourite Kingdom Hearts game. They made the combat enjoyable without weighing it down with gimmicks (Chain of Memories and Dream Drop Distance come to mind). They made exploring the environment worth it for the first time in franchise history, all while having the best graphics of any game this year.
Kingdom Hearts III was so good it is making me excited for the DLC Re:Mind. No game has done that since Mass Effect 3.
3. Resident Evil 2
I don’t think there has ever been a game that fused two gameplay philosophies better than the remake of Resident Evil 2. They took the horror and puzzle-focused games such as 1, 2, and 7 and combined them with the action and gameplay of 4 and 5. They almost made the perfect Resident Evil game.
Even the smaller things, like how the map tracks your progress and the zombie damage system, go beyond a simple remake. Resident Evil 2 Remake is one of the best games in a franchise whose entries are considered some of the best ever.
4. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is exactly what you think it is. It is Castlevania: Symphony of the Night with all the IP removed. There is no twist or a different take on that formula, but that was exactly what I wanted.
The things they do change fit the game perfectly. The shard system is broad and allows for experimentation, and the quests and cooking system give players goals to set themselves for great rewards. Not every game needs to reinvent the wheel, and that’s what Bloodstained did—they made a really nice fucking wheel.
5. The Outer Worlds
It has been a very long time since I played an RPG that I was more engrossed in than Outer Worlds. It took everything I love about the Bethesda/Obsidian-style RPG, condensed it and polished it.
It doesn’t have the sprawling world of a Fallout or character systems of an Elder Scrolls, but that’s precisely why I love it. They made a tight 25-hour RPG experience with all of the excellent writing and exploration you would expect from Obsidian, with none of the bugs and mediocre content. It is a textbook example of “all-killer, no-filler.”
6. Apex Legends
Those bastards at Respawn did it. They made a battle royale game that I love playing. Apex Legends does everything I want in a battle royale game.
It allows communication through its revolutionary ping system without a microphone, makes character skills work in a battle royale setting, and all while fitting it into that Titanfall 2 gameplay formula. This might be the tightest controls for a game this year. Apex Legends made me play a battle royale in an era where I thought Battle Royale was dead. That is quite an accomplishment.
7. Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game just makes me happy. That’s really it. It does not wow me with intricate gameplay systems, mind-blowing graphics, or emotionally gripping stories.
It is simple and bare-bones as you can get, but god damn it do I love it. I just love waddling around town, honking at children and stealing gardening tools. Untitled Goose Game is a great way to ground yourself from the larger video game picture—to get away from multiplayer patch notes and decade-spanning sagas, just to be a goose for three hours and enjoy.
8. Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda
Cadence of Hyrule was a great surprise this year. I have not played Crypt of the NecroDancer, so I was a little apprehensive about playing Cadence, but once I got into the rhythm (ha!) everything just clicked.
It is basically a condensed Zelda experience with a neat music mechanic, along with the nostalgic beats (ha!) one would want. A killer soundtrack, gorgeous graphics, and a perfect length—Cadence of Hyrule should be in any Zelda fan’s collection.
9. Baba Is You
Fuck Baba Is You straight to hell. I don’t think I have ever spent so much time staring at one screen while my brain started to melt down. Its logic puzzles and solutions are ingenious, and its ruleset is so simple a child could understand—yet it still managed to twist my mind in a way that only the best puzzle games can.
Baba Is You is definitely part of the higher tier of puzzle games released this decade, and I both respect and resent it for that.
10. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds did not click for me as it did for so many. I thought the freeform exploration was a bit too aimless, flying controls weren’t as tight as I would have liked, and I was screwed over by the time loop more than a few times.
Still, no game in years has imbued in me the sense of discovery and wonder quite like Outer Wilds. Blasting through the solar system, finding planets filled with amazing sights and stories, was enough to ease its way into my top ten list for 2019.
Game of the Year 2020
Oh boy, 2020.
Yeah, let’s not get into that. For reasons I am sure you are all aware of, not only did I have an abundance of time at home but also the cash to fill that time (yay essential worker), so this year I played nearly 40 games that were released this year. That’s on top of the other games I also played.
Despite that, there were games I missed such as Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. Regardless, here are my Games of the Year for 2020.
1. Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal takes a while to click with you. It needs to introduce systems and limit the player to slowly ramp them to where they need to be. I wouldn’t blame anyone who stopped a few hours in due to this. But if you stick with it, the game will eventually click… and it becomes one of the best first-person shooters ever made.
Playing Doom Eternal felt like a 15-hour adrenaline rush—a non-stop fury of action, movement, and decision-making, all while jumping through jaw-dropping environments at a perfect framerate. The soundtrack banging in your ear while ripping and tearing the many enemies. Doom Eternal was the only game I played this year that made me excited while playing it. That, to me, makes it my Game of the Year for 2020.
2. Trackmania
You cannot improve on the gameplay of Trackmania. Ubisoft knew that. So, what they did was improve everything around it: a brand-new multiplayer system that allows anyone to host without a server, tracks that can be brought to you from a press of a button, and most importantly, a new community system that allows anyone to play whatever track styles they like with other like-minded people. Trackmania continues to be my favourite racing game franchise.
3. Persona 5 Royal
2017’s Game of the Year just got better. Persona 5 Royal took what was already an outstanding game and added just enough to justify a new playthrough. Gameplay systems that were issues before are now smoothed over. The new characters and dungeon are excellent, but the star of the show is the new third-semester storyline, which might be the best story and writing Persona has ever done. If you’ve never played Persona 5, this is a must-play.
4. Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is one of the best examples of “comfort-food” games. Just sit down and start playing. It is the standard third-person stealth-action game but done so well and so stylishly. Excellent gameplay systems, an engaging story, and the best-looking game of the year—Ghost of Tsushima is a prime example that sometimes style over substance can be enough.
5. Hades
Perhaps the most evenly consistent game of this year, Hades is a game that everyone can enjoy. By taking a well-worn genre and turning it into an incredibly polished, well-written exemplar of roguelikes, Supergiant Games may have put the final nail in the roguelike coffin—because I don’t think anyone is capable of topping them.
6. Genshin Impact
Easily the biggest surprise of the year: a mobile gacha Breath of the Wild clone is one of my favourite games of the year. Genshin Impact honestly could have been a no-effort cash-in like so many other games of its ilk. But it has a massive world to explore, a deeper-than-you-think combat system, and the best character designs this year. Despite the gacha, it is immensely enjoyable.
7. Bugsnax
If there is any game that would be the dictionary definition of “delightful”, it would be Bugsnax. Just exploring the world and seeing all the fantastic designs of the Bugsnax is well worth the purchase price, but finding an oddly touching, personal story with superb voice acting is just a cherry on top of the Scoopy Banoopy.
8. Half-Life: Alyx
While not the world-shattering, game-changing revelation that a new Half-Life game from Valve was expected to be, it is still one of the best VR experiences I’ve played. Incredibly immersive, wonderfully designed, and endlessly moddable, Half-Life: Alyx shows that Valve can still make great games. Also features the best level I’ve played in a long time. I hate you, Jeff.
9. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Blizzard continues the “Good Expansion–Bad Expansion” pattern with what I think is an excellent expansion pack. Not only does Shadowlands feature a beautiful world to explore and exciting new mechanics like Torghast, but it also has me interested in the story of World of Warcraft for the first time in a decade. That is something to be commended.
10. Cyberpunk 2077
Yeah, I know. Cyberpunk 2077, as of writing, is rawer than a living cow, but I managed to fall into the very slim Venn diagram of “Having a good PC capable of running it” and “High tolerance of jank”. Honestly, this would have been in my top three had it not been highly janky. However, Cyberpunk 2077 still features a fantastic world to explore, endearing characters, and a killer soundtrack. Hopefully, in six months, people can enjoy it as much as I did.
Game of the Year 2021
Video games in 2021 were in a weird spot. New consoles were out, but no one could get them. High-profile games were delayed frequently, and the few that were released often launched in a broken state. Still, the year has reached its end, and while I don’t think this was an especially standout year for video games, I managed to find ten games to fill my annual Game of the Year list.
As always, apologies for the games I did not play—mainly Hitman 3, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Psychonauts 2, Life Is Strange: True Colors, Deathloop, Lost Judgment, New World, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
1. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is not just the best video game I played in 2021—it might be the best video game I have ever played. There is something about Disco Elysium that makes it feel less like a piece of media to entertain yourself with and more like a work of art. It’s something you hang on the wall for people to discuss and debate the meaning and purpose. It’s a classic book dissected and studied for years by scholars and students. It’s a film that a university dedicates an entire semester to analyse. It has something that puts it on another level that no other game has ever shown me.
However, it is almost reductive to call it just a piece of art. It’s not just a well-written story (though it absolutely is), but also an enriched RPG system that lets the player genuinely create their version of a character, a graphical style unlike anything you’ve ever seen, voice acting that puts all others to shame, and a soundtrack that places you in its world instantaneously. The fact that an independent studio’s first attempt resulted in such an amazingly dense game puts every other studio—independent or otherwise—to shame. I have not stopped thinking about Disco Elysium since I played it. That makes it my Game of the Year for 2021. Maybe even every year before that too.
2. Halo Infinite
Halo: Combat Evolved was perhaps one of the most important video games of my life. It made me a lover of video games and the Halo franchise. However, I have not been too happy with the output from 343 and Microsoft in the last few years. Between the middling Halo 4, the nearly unplayable Master Chief Collection, and the actively bad Halo 5, I had all but lost hope for Halo Infinite. But they managed to pull off the turnaround of the decade.
Halo Infinite is the best-playing video game in a very long time: pitch-perfect controls, expertly crafted level designs, and the single greatest inclusion of a game mechanic—the grappling hook. Halo Infinite has managed to restore my faith in the Halo franchise.
3. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is tied with the best expansion pack I have ever played (Wrath of the Lich King is right there with it). The culmination of a decade’s worth of story, and Square Enix knocked it out of the park. Everything in Endwalker is top tier: writing, music, mechanics, graphics. Even with the absolutely abysmal launch issues, Endwalker managed to be so good that it was worth waiting in a queue for three hours. You cannot say that about almost any other game.
4. Cruelty Squad
Cruelty Squad is a perfect video game. I’m not saying it doesn’t have flaws or bugs—far from it. I say that Cruelty Squad is perfect because there is not one thing I would change about it. I wouldn’t change the confusing storyline. I wouldn’t change the immersive sim gameplay structure that rewards stupid strategies. I wouldn’t change the soundtrack, which I can actually describe as gross. Most importantly, I wouldn’t change the game’s look even slightly. It has the aesthetics of someone knowledgeable of visual language who did everything they could to make it as unpleasant as possible. I will always love Cruelty Squad’s messed-up weirdness.
5. Persona 5 Strikers
Persona 5 Strikers was so good it did what I thought was impossible: it made me like a Musou game. It did this by not shoving the characters of another franchise into a Warriors clone (cough Hyrule Warriors cough) but actually fusing the two systems together to complement each other.
Persona 5 Strikers should be the goal for every Persona spin-off, with a surprisingly deep combat system, trademark style, and the best writing and voice acting in franchise history. Atlus, I hope the seven different spin-off games you’ve got planned can live up to Strikers.
6. Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Mass Effect is easily a top-five video game franchise for me. It’s my favourite trilogy of entertainment, so naturally, a remastered version of all three games was going to be excellent. Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the standard of how to do a remaster: keep what makes the originals great while adjusting to meet modern standards—and Bioware has done precisely that.
A collection of games so good it made me slightly optimistic about the franchise’s future. Bioware, PLEASE do not mess this up. I can’t take another Mass Effect: Andromeda.
7. Tales of Arise
Sometimes you just feel like a highly concentrated dose of anime in your video games, and BOY does Tales of Arise deliver. As someone new to the Tales series (I played a tiny bit of Berseria), I was able to slip into this gorgeous JRPG and engross myself in the world.
The action-packed combat system, breathtaking visuals, excellent voice acting, and my favourite video game ending in the last few years—Tales of Arise made me a Tales fan.
8. Deltarune Chapter 1 & 2
Here’s a weird one: I didn’t much care for Undertale. I thought it was good—just good. Besides the soundtrack, nothing really stood out to me. However, Deltarune is an entirely different story. Toby Fox made an excellent foundation for a fantastic RPG but filled it with the charm and care of Undertale to create something exceptional.
Many people look at Deltarune as a slightly different Undertale, but that slight difference made all the difference. Now, I cannot wait for Part 3 (though…?).
9. Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 continues the long-running tradition of being the only driving game on the market worth paying attention to. There is nothing quite like speeding around the Mexico desert in a multi-million-dollar supercar with an anime girl on the sides.
By removing the few issues I had with Horizon 4 and polishing the hell out of it, Forza Horizon 5 became one of my favourite driving games ever.
10. Unpacking
Unpacking was the best experience I had playing a game this year. Booting up the game, streaming it to Discord, and having my friends debate and argue about what goes where and how to organise a room was so much fun.
While not the most relaxing experience for playing what is supposed to be a relaxing game, Unpacking was still one of my favourite game experiences of the year.