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Post by OdanUrr on Dec 12, 2015 17:03:59 GMT -6
Turns out I have played more than 10 games this year though definitely not all to completion and also not every game was released this year. As a result, I'm filtering out games I haven't played enough of to form an opinion as well as games I keep returning to (e.g.: Mass Effect). You know what, fuck it, I'm creating a special category for the former. Here goes nothing: Games I haven't played enough of but am certain are cool as fuckIn no specific order, I give you: - Dreamfall Chapters: I was completely enthralled by the first chapter but, alas, I have been remiss in my gamer duties. Truth be told though I preferred Zoë's story to Kian's.
- Ori and the Blind Forest: I love it even though I know it's tugging at my heart strings on purpose.
- Valkyria Chronicles: Wonderful characters, story, and setting. I particularly like the format of playing the story as if you were reading a book. I WILL FINISH IT!!! (even if I have to cheat my way to victory
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The games that have taken an inordinate amount of my life this yearI think this is a very specific category. Here are the winners: - SWTOR: I have a special relationship with this game. I won't play for months then I'll get the itch and resume playing like mad. Can't get enough of the stories and the Old Republic setting I suppose.
- Witcher 3: This one was pretty obvious. Having played TW2 I just had to know how everything would turn out. Haven't yet finished it but I've played enough (60+ hours) to confidently state TW3 was one of, if not the, best RPGs of the year. Heck, it managed to get me invested in side quests to the point I didn't think of them as "side quests." That's got to be more than enough to take the prize home. And yet I think its strongest point is the story and its characters. I decided to pursue a romance with Yennefer and haven't regretted it since. It takes a while to build up but it's worth it. Also, Ciri.
- Fallout 4: This is the first time I fully commit to a Fallout game (same thing happened with Skyrim). I've put 81 hours already into exploring the Commonwealth and while I utterly hate Bethesda's stupid decision to include settlements that only seem to waste my time I've grown quite fond of this post-nuclear apocalypse alternate timeline setting. Props to Bethesda for trying something new and giving me a glimpse of life before the nuclear fallout (even if it was too short) in order to realize how much has been lost. Also, the vaults are always cool to explore. And Piper rules.
The games that have impressed me the most (and are not part of the above list) (and are incidentally episodic)- Life Is Strange: I did not initially think a game about two teenage girls solving a mystery would get me so invested plus it was Dontnod's first foray into the world of episodic games, a space largely ruled by Telltale. Even if the language was at times odd Max and Chloe really sold me on their relationship and the story that Dontnod wanted to tell. The rewind mechanic was awesome, letting me revisit my decisions and see the immediate results. While the ending was a tad disappointing I have to admit the journey was pretty sweet and nostalgic. Not for nothing I'm buying the limited edition.
- Tales From the Borderlands: I'm not a fan of the Borderlands's games. I mean, I've played the first two (and I'm playing TPS) and found them an average single player experience that benefits from co-op. The reason why they don't appeal as much to me is because they're 90% gun loot and hundreds of side quests with very little meat in them. So I was literally taken aback by how good TftB turned out to be. In fact, it was excellent! Yes, there is very little gameplay since we're talking about a TT game here but the story and the characters are great! I loved Fiona, Rhys, Sasha, Athena, Vaughn, etc.; I loved the intros (they were soooo awesome!) and the humour was actually funny most of the time! And I quite liked the Power Rangers reference at the end. I've said it before but I'll say it again, if you give me a Borderlands' game that is half of what TftB turned out to be, I'll definitely play it.
The return of the game category
A category I've just made up and, as the title suggests, represents a return of some kind:
- J.U.L.I.A: Among the Stars: It's been a while since I last played a point-and-click adventure and I had forgotten that they can be pretty good. JULIA is relatively short (6 hours) but it got me excited about the genre again with beautiful art and music and a mystery that is only just beginning! I would recommend to buy it at a discount though.
- Wolfenstein: The New Order: I got this one based on TB's recommendation and, wow, am I glad that I did. It was a refreshing return to the FPS genre (which has been pretty stale of late) in an alternate timeline where Germany won the war and now have a base on the moon! And you get to go there! You also get to kick ass as B.J. Blazkowicz from start to finish. If you haven't played it and enjoy shooters, give this one a shot (pun intended).
- Arkham Origins: I guess one could argue it had been a while since I played an Arkham game **cough**ArkhamAsylum**cough**. Then again, I did try to play through Arkham City, twice, and always just... left. I think City daunted me with its size and its freedom right off the bat. Origins, on the other hand, started small and then opened up; had slightly improved visuals; and added crime-solving puzzles that, while far from the detective I wanted, made me feel a bit like the Batman from the animated series. While the game didn't feature Conroy or Hamill in their iconic roles the voice-over work was really good and I enjoyed the interactions between Bruce and Alfred a lot. It was more of Batman in a more controlled dose than City and it was exactly what I was looking for.
The games I played that deserve mention for some (not necessarily good) reasonThere are a couple of games I play that I feel deserve being mentioned for different reasons: - Final Fantasy XIII: I played 12 hours of this game and I'm still getting dungeons more linear than a straight line. Visually-speaking, FFXIII looks stunning, even in gameplay! (some gameplay, mind you) Unfortunately, what little gameplay I've found basically amounts to moving from battle to battle and choosing how you want to defeat a particular baddie. You cannot take this long to get me invested in a game, Final Fantasy!
- Ryse: Son of Rome: Another title that gets an award on the visuals department and not much else. I did get to enjoy a game set during the time of the Roman Empire but the story is pretty weak and downright transparent. At the very least I experienced the breadth of it in half the time I've spent exploring dungeons in FFXIII. I still don't know if that's a good thing.
The 3DS games I still haven't finished (and probably never will)
I won't even bother to list them. The award in this category goes to Shin Megami Tensei IV and Fire Emblem: Awakening. I have two issues with these games. First, there's too much to process too early. Second, I still don't know whether I've moved past the prologue. I'm kinda having the same problem as with FFXIII, I've spent quite a bit of time with these games (Shin Megami Tensei IV in particular) but the story seems to move at a snail's pace. I REALLY want to get invested in these games but I can't seem to and I fear I never will at this point.
There. Those were some of the games I played in 2015. If I finish Lightning Returns by year's end, I might update the list, for good or bad. Please let it be good. |
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