Jaykay Plays

2018 was an interesting year for games.  While there wasn’t as much depth as previous years, the games that stood out were truly something special.  This was certainly a year where big franchises that had been dormant for a few years came roaring back, but more importantly some developers released some truly unique new IP that took the industry by storm.  All of this combined for some great experiences that won’t soon be forgotten.  There wasn’t a ton of games I thought were fantastic outside of the top 10, but this was one of the most difficult years to order the top 10 as the quality of each game was unbelievable.

As always, the rules for inclusion are as follows:    

The game must have its final retail release in 2018.  Thus, anything in an alpha/beta state or Steam Early Access does not qualify.  This rule is still being under consideration for removal.

In the case of episodic games, they must have their final episode delivered in 2018 to make the list.

While this list is comprehensive, I haven’t played everything.  Games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Dragon Quest XI, Hitman 2, Forza Horizon 4, Florence, and The Messenger all seem great but are unfortunately all still on my backlog.

Most importantly: the game has to be really good.  No-brainer there.

Honorable mentions:

While this year wasn’t as competitive past the Top 10, there were a few other games I played that deserved mentions as my final cuts:

Monster Hunter World - This was a causality of not having enough time to get deep enough in the game, but from what I played MHW does a great job making the series more accessible to a broader audience. Octopath Traveler - The game oozes style and has a great combat system, but unfortunately the late-game repetition and disjointed story keeps it from becoming something great. Yoku’s Island Express - It was truly a unique idea to mix pinball with Metroidvania, and it pays off with a fun game and a great soundtrack. 

Without further ado, here are my top 10 games of 2018:

10. Super Smash Bros Ultimate (Bandai Namco/Sora - Switch)

The follow up to Smash Bros for Wii U/3DS, this entry once again delivered.  Nintendo managed to bring back every character that has ever been in a Smash game, including characters that were cut from previous installments for various reasons.  The team managed to make enough subtle tweaks to most characters to keep the brawler as entertaining as usual.  However, the standout mode in this version has to be in the massive single-player Spirits system.  There are over 1,000 unique spirits to collect in this game, and to unlock most of them you need to complete a special battle that represents the character of the spirit you are trying to unlock.  These clever fights help pay homage to characters that don’t make the cut for Smash, and it is a nice touch to help add several dozens of hours of fun moments.  

9. Into the Breach (Subset Games - PC, Switch)

Following up to their 2012 indie hit FTL, Subset Games is back with another clever run-based adventure.  Into the Breach is something all its own though, as this turn-based strategy game tasks you with using a few mechs to defend various cities and structures from an invading alien menace.  Customization is key here, as you are able to unlock multiple squads and pilots that help completely modify your strategy to save the world.  One of the more brilliant parts of the game is that almost all the information is provided to you prior to each turn.  You know exactly where each enemy is going to attack the following turn, so the goal isn’t just to eliminate your foe, but also disrupt them.  If you see your opponent is poised to barrel ahead in a straight line towards a building, you can use a ranged attack to instead knock it of its path so that it instead rams into another adversary.  While it is incredibly challenging to have the perfect turn, everything is within your control so you know it was your fault if things go wrong.  Ben Prunty also delivers an incredible soundtrack yet again, as his melodies help really set the atmosphere for each tense battle. 

8. Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Studios - PS4/XBO)

Easily the most talked about game of 2018, Rockstar’s prologue to their 2010 western is an incredible technical achievement.  The amount of detail that goes into every aspect of this game seems mind-blowing, and it is quite easy to lose yourself in the world that has been created.  The story is also one of the biggest improvements in the game this time around, as seeing how Dutch’s gang fell leading to the events of the previous installment is a fascinating tale.  The protagonist, Arthur Morgan, has one of the more gripping character arcs seen in the past few years.  There is an absolute ton to accomplish in this game, as it is constantly introducing new side quests as well as presenting random stranger events that help make everything feel very alive.  Unfortunately, sometimes the gameplay gets in its own way, and some of the later missions can be a repetitive slog despite the gripping story being told.  This is one not to be missed, but there’s just enough keeping it from being a true classic.

7. Donut County (Ben Esposito - iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

Donut County is easily the weirdest game on this list as this is a game where you play as a hole.  While in most games that have pits you are used to avoiding them, here you are actually trying to have as many characters and objects fall into a hole as possible.  The puzzles aren’t difficult at all, but every time you suck something up, the hole gets larger so that you are able to go after larger items until nothing is left on screen.  It is a unique concept that works, and it is something that anyone can play.  What ties everything together though is the tremendous cast of characters in the game, as BK the raccoon and everyone around him will keep you laughing the entire way through.  There is a journal in the game, the Trashopedia, which includes hilarious descriptions written by a raccoon describing real world items.  It is worth ready every single entry.  The soundtrack does a great job pulling everything together, and the game only being 2 to 3 hours makes it a great quick jaunt for everyone.

6. Tetris Effect (Monstars Inc/Resonair - PS4)

At this point, everyone knows what Tetris is.  So, there’s nothing new that can be done with Tetris, right?  Wrong.  Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the mind behind Lumines, helped gets the rights to Tetris so that his studio could help work on a version of Tetris that functioned similar to his music-based puzzler.  While he only served as a producer on the title, his influence is clearly seen.  The hallmark mode, Journey, has you making a specific number of lines as the speed changes based on the tempo of the song that is playing.  All the while this is happening, interactive backgrounds also animate to the rhythm.  Once you hit your line goal, you keep your blocks on screen, but you are then transported to another song and environment to continue on with its own tempo with a new count of lines to achieve.  While the game was initially built for VR, it plays just fine on a normal TV and will have you glued trying to get that classic four line namesake.  The presentation also extends to multiple other challenging modes, including trying to build the highest combo as well as using 3 or 4 blocks to clear every line on a puzzle.  The weekly events will keep you coming back, and overall this a great package to help revitalize one of the best games ever created. 

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games - PS4)

While the previous generation saw great comic success with the Batman Arkham series, it was often wondered when some other classic heroes would get a resurgence in the gaming world.  It took a while, but Insomniac found a way to capture that lightning with their PS4-exclusive Spider-Man.  Skipping the origin story that has been told to death at this point, you are transported into the life of Peter Parker years after he has already become Spider-Man and several of his foes are already locked up in the Raft.  Certain characters have yet to become their iconic villainous forms yet, while others are already terrorizing New York City like the Shocker.  A unique Spider-Man story is told here, as with the change of canon you aren’t sure the twists and turns each character arc is going to take which always keeps you on your toes.  Most importantly, the gameplay here is a blast.  Previous Spider-Man games always have trouble making it feel fun to swing around the city, but Insomniac’s version has you darting around the city with ease.  Random events happen in the city in real time, and everything is so tightly packed that you can accomplish anything even if you only have small amounts of time to play.  There are great nods to Spider-Man and Marvel lore through with Peter’s costumes and collectibles.  The underrated gem of the entire experiences are the sequences where you play as Mary Jane and Miles, as their ventures help show that everyday people are just as important to Peter’s success as Spider-Man is.  

4. Return of the Obra Dinn (3909 LLC - PC)

Definitely the most unique game on the list this year, Return of the Obra Dinn casts you as an insurance claims collector that needs to catalog the deaths and disappearances of a few dozen people from an abandoned ship that has just returned.  Ok, that might not sound captivating at first, but stay with me.  Lucas Pope (creator of Papers Please) made one of the most novel puzzle games here, as you are given an empty journal and an artist’s rendition of everyone who was aboard the doomed vessel.  You are then able to walk up to any corpse on the boat and be instantly transported back to the exact moment of their demise.  Sometimes you hear brief dialogue, but mostly you are just able to walk around a still scene of the exact moment of their death.  Here, you walk around and try to figure out who the person is, how they died, and who else was there.  While you can typically figure out how the person died, the true puzzle solving comes with finding out the names of who each person is from their involvement in other scenes, and it creates a deep loop of investigation and revisiting moments.  There truly is nothing like this game, and the unique look helps it give it a style all its own.  

3. God of War (Sony Santa Monica - PS4)

While multiple franchises saw returns this year, none had more of an impact than the return of God of War.  Previous installments in the series saw Kratos as a bloodthirsty screaming god looking for revenge, but this time around he moved away from Ancient Greece to Midgard for a quieter life where he is taking care of his son Atreus.  His wife in this realm has recently passed, and your objective is to honor her last wish of spreading her ashes at the highest point in the realm.  Part of what makes this entry in the series so satisfying is that it slows down the adventure and gives more weight to the combat as well as more options to vanquish your foes.  The light-RPG system implemented helps you determine what skills Kratos can utilize and lets your specialize your character more than previous games.  While the combat is great, the world and its story is what takes center stage here.  Kratos’ relationship with his son makes for great moments throughout and does a lot more to humanize Kratos compared to previous games in the series.  The supporting cast does a great job of making the world feel alive as well, especially Mimir who will help give insight to the history of everything around you in real time as you travel.  Kratos’ return is a triumph, and it helped make me care about a franchise that I thought I had lost all interest in.  The ending was left very open, so its very exciting to see where Sony Santa Monica goes from here.

2. Dead Cells (Motion Twin - PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

Early Access has been a system that has certainly had its ups and downs, but Dead Cells just may be the best thing to ever come out of the program.  There have been games in the past that have attempted to fuse Metroidvanias and rouge-lites, but none have succeeded like this.  It’s simple, at the beginning of every run you are given a melee weapon and a choice of one other weapon, all of which differ depending on what you have unlocked so far.  From here, you’re free to explore the first level of the game and keep any upgrade that you find.  Also along the way you occasionally pick up cells from enemies, which serve as your currency for upgrades.  However, if you die before the end of a level, you lose everything that you picked up so far in that area.  This helps build tension when you’ve gotten a rare blueprint for a new item or a large number of cells, as you want to make sure you can reach the collector who will essentially bank your cells and let you buy things to improve future runs.  Its a loop that works.

While the upgrade system, the unique weapons and skills, and branching paths help set this rogue-lite apart, the true glory in Dead Cells is the combat and how tight the controls are.  There are few 2D action games that feel this good to play, and it makes some of the more frantic levels an absolute blast.  You’ll certainly get to the first boss in an early run, but he’ll likely demolish you.  Improve yourself a little bit, and the next time you get back to him you see progress but still no victory.  Hone your skills more, and the next thing you know it you are trouncing the first boss every single time you get to him.  Then as the game ramps up in difficulty in the following levels, you learn to adapt in new ways to advance even more.  After tons of runs and hours, you’ll eventually find yourself at the final test: The Hand of the King.  He is without a doubt the hardest aspect of this game that will do everything to crush what you thought was a perfect run.  But when you finally have a run that allows you to land that final blow and defeat him, it is something special that encapsulates the beauty of perseverance in this game.  This just might be the best rogue-lite since Spelunky.

1. Celeste (Matt Makes Games - PC, PS4, Switch, XBO)

At the beginning of the game, you’re told that Celeste is a game about climbing a mountain.  While that is very true, it’s about much more than that.  Celeste is a precision platform that stars a young girl named Madeline who is setting out to climb Celeste Mountain to prove she can do it.  Her intentions aren’t crystal clear at first, but she’s told by one of the other NPCs that she’ll fail.  She has told by her mother in a dream sequence that she’ll fail.  She’s followed by a dark version of herself that tells her that she’ll fail.  It becomes evident quickly that this is a game about conquering your own anxiety and doing something outside of your comfort zone.

While Celeste draws inspiration from games like Super Meat Boy and I Wanna Be the Man, there is enough to give the game its own identity here.  This game is punishing, but at the same time it is incredibly fair.  Anytime you die, you are sent back immediately to the beginning of the screen.  This allows you to easily evaluate how you made a mistake adjust or fine tune your strategy from there.  Soon obstacles that seemed impossible are nothing to you, and you instead need to figure out how to get through the next roadblock.  You get better and learn something every time you die, and that helps you propel forwards better than other similar games in the genre. There are also collectibles hidden on most screens known as strawberries, and they serve as an extra challenge to help make each level even harder if you want to take the extra step.  But the true difficulty lies in the bonus B-side and C-side levels that unlock should you find the other collectibles in each level.  These are remixed levels that are shorter than the main game but present new twists on the mechanics of each world, leading to one of the most rewarding feelings should you be able to conquer these.  They are not for the faint of heart.

You’ve likely heard it everywhere, but 2017 sure was a fantastic year for video games.  Nintendo released their latest system, Microsoft put their upgraded revision of their console out on the market, and an Early Access title took the world by storm.  All while this was happening, fantastic games were coming out at an unprecedented pace. Three of the games in my top 10 last came out within 10 days of each other early in the year, and two others came out on the same exact day later in the year.  There’s something to be said about years ending in 7 having good games, and this decade provided yet another stellar showing.

This was a year where almost the entirety of the top 10 could have ranked even higher in previous years.  That’s how good games were this year.  I also spent a lot of time ordering my top 3 when I put this together last weekend, as the line is so razor thin that any of them could have won it.  The end moral: what a year for games.

As always, the rules for inclusion are as follows:    

The game must have its final retail release in 2017.  Thus, anything in an alpha/beta state or Steam Early Access does not qualify.  Based on the way games are being developed, this will likely be the last year this rule is in place.

In the case of episodic games, they must have their final episode delivered in 2017 to make the list.

While this list is comprehensive, I haven’t played everything.  Games like A Night in the Woods, Hollow Knight, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Divinity: Original Sin 2 all seem great but are unfortunately all still on my backlog.

Most importantly: the game has to be really good.  No-brainer there.

Honorable mentions:

This was the hardest year yet to limit the list to ten games, but here are the last five cuts I made:

Destiny 2 - Bungie managed to take the positive momentum of the later years of the original Destiny to make a great experience in Destiny 2, but there are definitely still some aspects to be cleaned up. Sonic Mania - It’s the first truly great Sonic game in decades as Christian Whitehead nailed the essence of the Genesis-era games. Persona 5 - A fantastic entry in the series that provides another strong cast of characters, stellar RPG gameplay, and a wonderful soundtrack. Nioh - While often labeled a Souls-clone, the mission based structure and smart take on combat stances make this a unique experience. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice - This is definitely an important title for exploring mental health, and the true shining star here is the audio design.  Definitely play this with headphones.

And now, here are my top 10 games of 2017:

10. Typeshift (Zach Gage - Mobile)

While many successful games this year focused on large, sweeping adventures, the one game I found myself launching daily was this clever word game.  TypeShift gives you a simple task: shift columns of letters vertically to make words until you’ve used every letter at least once.  While this sounds simple at first, the variety of different modes, including crossword-style clue challenges, help keep you coming back for puzzle after puzzle.  There’s also a free daily puzzle every day, so the replayability is infinite here.  This is the type of game that will stay installed on my phone for a long time to come, as it’s not something I see myself tiring of anytime soon.

9. The Sexy Brutale (Tequila Works - PC, PS4, XBO)

One of 2017’s most unique games: The Sexy Brutale is a Groundhog Day-esque murder mystery adventure.  Stuck in an infinite time loop, the player needs to witness party-goers at a mansion party get killed throughout the night.  Using the knowledge you’ve received as well as the ability to reset time by a few hours, you’re able to foil the attempts at their lives and slowly piece together the story and motives.  This isometric puzzler presents you with a simple objective but continues to use it in clever ways throughout the story to fill in all of the missing pieces in this adventure.  Figuring out how to save each character is a joy, and the setting and soundtrack help make this something that won’t soon be forgotten.

8. Horizon: Zero Dawn (Guerrilla Games - PS4)

After over a decade of developing Killzone games, Guerilla Games delivered a fresh and intriguing new world with Horizon.  In the developer’s self-described “post-post-apocalypse”, you’re given a beautiful open world filled with the remnants of civilization that went nearly extinct thousands of years prior.  Horizon does a good job painting a picture of new class structures and struggles as humans redevelop their societies, but the true spectacle comes within slowly learning more about what caused the downfall of humanity in the first place.  It’s a well-told tale that helps sets the table for more adventures to come in this universe in the future.  Combat and discovering the weaknesses of beasts in battle is a great hook, and the strong gameplay gives you reasons to stick with Aloy for dozens of hours.

7. Pyre (Supergiant Games - PC, PS4)

With its third entry, Supergiant created another enthralling universe to get lose within.  Pyre’s gameplay hook of “RPG meets NBA Jam” is a great way to get people into the door, but what’s more important here is the story that is told.  Half the game presents itself as a visual novel of sorts, where you spend time talking to various members of your party (as well as your opponents) to build a bigger sense of what being trapped in this underground is truly like.  Winning your matches is important, but if you lose, the game continues, as your loss hindered the team and is part of the story.  There are no do-overs in this world, and you must soldier on even if your failure caused members of your team their freedom.  This is one of the strongest aspects of the game, and the relationships you build with the multiple well developed characters in this game make you want to earn their freedom, even if it means you lose them for future matches.  The battles are fun every time, but the true reason to stick around this world is the characters.

6. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (Machine Games - PC, PS4, XBO)

Wolfenstein II is probably the game that features the worst gameplay on this list.  Why mention that and even put it on this list?  Well, that’s because tearing through this world and seeing the adventures of B.J. Blazkowicz and his resistance team is a sight to behold.  Set in an alternate reality a few decades after the Nazis won World War II, there isn’t much hope left in the world for those fighting back, and this is a story about starting a revolutions.  Words cannot even describe the twists and turns this story takes, as there are enough clever moments and setpieces that could fill a whole series instead of just a single game.  I found myself putting down the controller several times out of shock with a “did they really just do that?” thought throughout the adventure.  It’s quite alright to throw the settings to easy and tear through this adventure, as it isn’t something to be missed.

5. Cuphead (StudioMDHR - PC, XBO)

There’s one thing painfully obvious about Cuphead right off the bat: this 1930s cartoon inspired run-and-gun platformer is one of the most beautiful games you’ll see in motion.  The game is so faithful to its source material, straight down to the occasional tears in the film and garbled voice audio from some characters.  StudioMDHR went for an aesthetic, and they nailed it.  However, looks aren’t what make a game, and Cuphead’s true strength comes within its stellar gameplay and boss design.  It feels like you are playing a modern-day Gunstar Heroes while you tear through dragons, genies, haunted roller coasters, and so many more diverse villains.  While everything may look cute, this game provides a challenge that is not for the weak of heart, but it’s certainly worth surmounting.  The boss battles a true delight, and something as simple as a progress meter that shows how far you got during your failed attempt is a great touch to make you want to immediately hop back in to try to redeem your loss.  

4. Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo EPD - Switch)

While Super Mario Galaxy 2 may be my favorite 3D Mario, there’s something to be said about Nintendo wanting to go back to the world-exploring approach seen in Super Mario 64.  What resulted is a fantastic journey through a dozen worlds with clever platforming and environments that reward you for searching every nook and cranny.  Almost every level brings fresh ideas and challenges that help present one of the most fun Mario adventures yet.  All of that being said, I haven’t even touched on the capture mechanic, which helped breath new life into this story.  Using Mario’s new hat companion, Cappy, you are able to possess a majority of enemies you come across to gain their abilities.  The foes you can overtake range from classics like Bullet Bills and Chain Chomps to new foes such as a giant T-Rex.  These traits help you look at your surroundings like you couldn’t before and uncover new secrets and objectives, leading to an absolute sense of wonder for the player.  From the New Donk City Festival to the Darker Side, the moments in this game will keep a smile on your face throughout.

3. NieR: Automata (Platinum Games - PC, PS4)

NieR took me a very long time to finally get through, as there were a few separate occasions early on where I fell off the game.  I decided to stick with it, and shortly after I came to a moment that I immediately intrigued me to keep pushing.  After finishing the game (aka Route A), I enjoyed it enough to see what the alternative routes would show me.  Immediately upon starting the second playthrough, I was hooked and the game wouldn’t let go until I saw the credits no less than six more times.  The twists and turns the story takes in NieR are unprecedented, and the beauty of is it in the way that the story itself is told. This is one of those experiences that wouldn’t have the same effect if shown in another type of medium. The answers are in front of you the whole time, but seeing the way that the game handles subjects such as loyalty, the human essence, and society as a whole are fascinating.  Characters are built so incredibly strong in this world that you want to see what happens to each one of them, even if the outcome isn’t usually the happiest.  It’s to the point where even the end credits have a moment that left me with a “wow, I can’t believe they did that” feeling.  It’s a hard game to discuss without spoiling some of the genius found within, so if you’re at all interested, it’s worth a look.  It’s been weeks since I’ve finished NieR, and I still can’t stop thinking about some of its themes and story.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD - Switch, Wii U)

The crown jewel of Nintendo’s new platform is Link’s latest adventure.  It’s hard to think of an open-world created that is as stunning and provides the freedom to explore as the world found here.  2013’s handheld Zelda, A Link Between Worlds, toyed around with the idea of giving the player access to most abilities immediately and setting them loose in the world. Breath of the Wild took that concept and ran with it, as you spent the first few hours on a seperate plateau learning the mechanics and receiving all of the items that give Link his abilities in the game.  Once you have that, you’re turned free to go anywhere you want in the world.  I spent dozens of hours just exploring mountains, lakes, and deserts before even approaching the first story milestone of the game, as there was just so much to do by wandering.  Something as simple as giving Link the ability to climb instead of gating with invisible terrain presents the player with the ability to explore so much so quickly, and the world seems so vast thanks to it.  

Nintendo’s decisions to add challenge shrines, which were all mostly unique, in place of the typical heart piece search granted a new reason to try to uncover everything there was in the world.  The in-game physics also lead to so many moments of creating unique solutions to obstacles and combat that you won’t believe what you can pull off.  The newest Zelda also used one of the series core strengths, its music, in a novel way, as the world is more silent and songs are used more as ambiance to accompany Link in key moments, and it works.  It’s a world you’ll never want to leave, and the fact that Nintendo provided a Zelda adventure that can give you 100 hours a playtime if you choose is something truly special.  The one piece that was the deciding factor of keeping Breath of the Wild out of my top spot was the dungeons, as the focus on letting the player have access to all abilities led to all the dungeons and their bosses seemed sub-par compared to everything else.  Still, this is not an experience to be missed.

1. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG Corporation - PC, XBO)

As with most people, if you would have told me I would have been hooked by a full game version of one of those Battle Royale mods in 2017, I would have called you crazy.  However, here we are.  Very early in the year, I found myself watching a few PUBG streams on Twitch and decided to pick it up about two weeks after it launched in Early Access.  I mentioned at the start of this list how I consistently played TypeShift throughout the year, but 2017 was also the year that I was constantly drawn back into PUBG week after week.

The concept is simple: you and 99 other people are dropped onto an island with nothing.  The goal: be the last person standing.  This isn’t the first time this has been attempted, as I mentioned earlier how mods and other games have attempted this same idea.  However, this is the first time where it’s been streamlined in a way that makes it super easy to hop in and play.  There’s nothing overly complicated about it: as all you need to do is run around and loot weapons and recovery items to better prepare you for battles you’ll have on a fairly large map.  In one of the ways that makes PUBG so accessible, there’s always a circle slowly encroaching onto players to ensure games move quickly and that you cannot just hide in one spot.  Sure, you can hide in a bathtub and hope to get lucky with circle positioning, but it’s probably not going to happen.

With 2016 in the books, it's time to look back at some of the strongest games of the past twelve months.  Developers continued upon the success of 2015, as 2016 once again had tons of high quality releases to be considered.  Usually each year has three or four games that are held in higher regard than the rest, but this year this could be said about so many more games than that.  So, let's jump in!

As with always, the rules are as follows:

The game must have its final retail release in 2016.  Thus, anything in an alpha/beta state or Steam Early Access does not qualify.

In the case of episodic games, they must have their final episode delivered in 2016 to make the list.

While this list is comprehensive, I haven’t played everything.  The Last Guardian and Owlboy came out too late in the year while I was already catching up on other games.  Hyper Light Drifter and Darkest Dungeon are two others that unfortunately are still in the backlog.

Most importantly: the game has to be really good.  No-brainer there.

Honorable Mentions: Ultimate Chicken Horse - Unique local multiplayer will cause you to create traps and challenges as you do your best to conquer levels while at the same time making sure your friends cannot. Asemblance - The twists and turns that build in this 90 minute psychological thriller do a fantastic job keeping the player on edge. Doom - An in-your-face thrilling campaign and great resurgence for a franchise that definitely needed the kick.

10. Final Fantasy XV (Square Enix - PS4, XBO)

After a decade of development, the seemingly mythological RPG finally released in 2016. The most recent Final Fantasy is a potpourri of ideas and genres where the stitching can clearly be seen, but the sum of its parts help to create an enjoyable experience.  Square Enix's ambition with this game is something to be appreciated, as they certainly spent a lot of time trying to create something unique.  The battle system is engaging and fun, and this succeeds most during some of the towering beast battles that take place in the game's tucked away dungeons.  There's a lot to see in this world, and the team did will to allow the player to always return to explore this sandbox even during pivotal story sequences later in the game.  The game's core cast is also quite strong, as the group of four may not each appeal to you at first, but each have their time to shine during the story.  

9. Firewatch (Campo Santo - PC, PS4, XBO)

The thing to take away the most from Campo Santo's debut is that this is an honest tale of how humans react to situations.  The game starts with an effective "choose your own adventure" type opening that shows people go through adversity no matter what you try to do. The world that artist Olly Moss helped bring to life is vibrant, and Chris Remo's soundtrack sets the tone perfectly as you wander the forest.  Most importantly, the game builds a solid relationship between two characters that haven't even met face-to-face yet as they both oversee their respective areas.  Some games spend dozens of hours trying to build this type of character and emotion, but Firewatch is able to do it with success in the four hours you'll spend in the wilds.

8. Virginia (Variable State - PC, PS4, XBO)

A title that flew under the radar for most, this mystery tells a fascinating story without even saying a word in the journey.  The story follows a character that has just been accepted into the FBI to help investigate a missing person, but the way the story is told makes the ride a great one.  Dream sequences and time jumps create a mystique to the narrative that would be hard to appreciate as just a linear timeline of events.  It's one of the few story based games that makes you want to hop immediately back in upon finishing to see what you missed as everything unfolds.  There isn't quite much like it, and that helped it truly stand out.

7. Inside (Playdead - PC, PS4, XBO)

Playdead's second game may look similar to their breakout hit Limbo, but it's very much a tale of its own.  While you are dropped in a mysterious world as a child with no explanation or tutorial, the game does a fantastic job of showing you the ropes through trial and error from the beginning.  The graphic ways your character can die help build tension while you sneak around guards, dogs, and other hazards to try to piece together what's going on.  As with Virginia, there isn't a word spoken throughout the entire experience, but the world here builds itself with the environment.  Things can be pieced together in your surrounds, both relating to the story and how to solve the next puzzle.  The amount of detail that Playdead put in to what seems like such a tiny package is mind-boggling, as the setting is fleshed out in an eerie and amazing way.  The end may leave you with a few questions, but sometimes that's the way it should be.

6. Titanfall 2 (Respawn - PC, PS4, XBO)

The original Titanfall was an entertaining multiplayer game, but it didn't seem to catch on with enough people and left others wanting single-player content.  Respawn made good on this in the sequel, by creating one of the most surprisingly evocative campaigns to come out of a first person shooter in recent memory.  In all media, creators often struggle to make robots and mechs seem like real characters, but Titanfall 2 succeeds in creating a strong personality with your titan, BT.  Small quips back and forth between the character and BT are engaging, and you even get the opportunity to slightly guide the conversation with dialogue trees that don't impact the story but lead to personalized conversations.  That isn't the sole success of this game though, as the combat is a blast.  Movement is quick, and the ability to run and jump on walls leads to intense combat in both single and multiplayer.  While Titanfall 2 wasn't the standout FPS on the sales chart, it was certainly the most enjoyable of the big three this year.

5. Superhot (Superhot Team - PC, XBO)

This unique project has been intriguing people for years ever since it was initially available as a web demo three years ago.  It's an FPS with a mechanic you haven't seen before the genre: time only moves when you move.  When you enter a room, you'll see all the enemies and can plan your attacks.  However, the second you move your body (or even your head), the other characters and objects will move.  If an enemy has a gun, you're able to stop the second he pulls the trigger and quickly figure out where to move to ensure you don't get shot.  It's a mechanic that brings depth to every situation you encounter and you plot out where to move and when to attack.  The game's presentation also helps set it apart, as the menus will create fake IRC chat rooms and even other games (what's up Tree Dude, the true GOTY) to help build its world.  There truly isn't anything like Superhot, and this is definitely a team to watch going forward.    

4. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (Naughty Dog - PS4)

It's a testament to the quality of games this year to say that one of the best games in the highly respected Uncharted series didn't make the top 3, but that doesn't make it any less of a game.  Nathan Drake's swan song is one to remember, as Naughty Dog yet again created a wonderful story with both familiar and new faces.  While the treasure is always the story, A Thief's End does a great job of giving Sully, Elena, and Sam each their time to shine throughout the story to further build their relationship with Nate.  It's likely the best that the Nate and Elena story has been, especially after some of the questionable twists in that arc previous games have taken.  Needless to say, the game is beautiful and yet again is the hallmark of power for a Playstation platform.  The key set piece moments are there, and this is showcased with the brutally impressive truck chase sequence where you will constantly be left saying "Did I just pull that off?"  While it's a shame to walk away from Nate now, he's certainly had his time to shine, and it was one hell of a ride.

3. Overwatch (Blizzard - PC, PS4, XBO)

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Blizzard took a genre that typically is difficult for new players to penetrate and made a game that was easy for anyone to hop into.  Well, it happened again with their hero team-based FPS: Overwatch.  Using some ideas from the scrapped Project Titan, Blizzard created 21 (later 23) hero characters that each has their own unique abilities and play style to help conquer objectives.  Teams of six work against each other under various conditions to help achieve a single objective.  Certain heroes work well with each other, while some can be used to counter opposing heroes.  Plus, to keep it simple and allow games to swing, you can change your hero anytime after a death, so strategies can adapt on the fly.  Above all else though, Overwatch does a wonderful job in easing players in by simplifying their stats and not necessarily making it about your kill/death ratio.  Don't be confused, if you aren't helping your team, you aren't going to win, but not constantly knowing that you've died three more times than you taken down opponents helps a player's morale.  The game has a style all its own, and with the continuing free updates Blizzard has been making through the year, it's going to be great to see where this game goes down the road.

2. Hitman (IO Interactive - PC, PS4, XBO)

There is no game more surprising in 2016 than Hitman.  It was one of those games with a lot stacked up against it: the most recent Hitman was mostly disappointing, the business model changed to episodic at the last second, and everything just seemed like a mess.  However, once players got their first full episode in Paris, it was clear that something special was being made. Each episode of season one featured a new locale with two story targets to take out, but that was only just scratching the service.  As with most Hitman games, there are multiple ways to go about achieving your goal, and this is done wonderfully here as you explore and find breadcrumbs of meetings and interviews that can help disguise you to take down your enemy.  Optional targets and user-created missions helped give every map life, but the true shining gem is the elusive target feature.  Every other week, IO adds a character to a map and you need to find a way to take them down, but you only get one chance.  Think of it as Spelunky's daily challenge, where everyone has the same mountain to climb but only one crack at it.  Even your most thought out plans will lead to failure, but a lot of the fun in the experience is quickly adapting when everything is hitting the fan.  Hitman was a question coming into the year, but the only thing people are asking themselves going into 2017 is how soon season two will be here.

1. The Witness (Thekla, Inc. - iOS, PC, PS4, XBO)

In the Witness, you are presented with hundreds of puzzles that just require you to draw a line from the beginning of the panel to the end.  That sounds pretty simple, right?  Well, it's far from that.  Jonathan Blow created a masterpiece with intricate puzzles that will test the limits of your brain to get through all of them.  When you begin the game, the first puzzle just has you draw a straight line, which is a surprisingly simple yet great way to introduce you to each set of puzzles.  The game allows you to free roam, but every time you encounter a new set of puzzles, the first panel will show you an incredibly bare bones puzzle to teach you the logic of that area.  Using that knowledge, you'll need to apply it as the puzzle in that section get larger and larger.  As you move through the world, some puzzles will even take ideas from other puzzle and mix them together, which leads to some heavy thinking to push forward.  The exploration is also a wonder, and this isn't just because of the mysterious and beautiful world that Blow's team created in the game.  Sometimes you will come across puzzles with symbols that seem foreign and unsolvable.  However, after tackling an area and learning a new mechanic, there isn't a better feeling that realizing you can find that one-off puzzle and solve it.

Here we are with only five games left to go!  To see my rules and honorable mentions, click here.  To see picks 10 through 6, click here.

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5. Axiom Verge (Thomas Happ Games - PC, PS4)

Information has been trickling out regarding Axiom Verge for years, and 2015 was finally the year the world got a look at this game.  The lengthy development was to be expected, as the most impressive thing about the game is that is was created solely by Tom Happ.  Very obviously Metroid-inspired, Axiom Verge has you exploring a sci-fi world where the upgrades you obtain will allow you to access new portions of the map.  However, while you may be expecting Metroid around every corner, the similarities end with the setting and genre.  The power-ups you receive are almost all unique, highlighted by a glitch gun that allows you to "glitch" enemies and environments to alter their properties for traversal.  This mechanic is used often throughout the game, and it leads to several unique scenarios that feel fresh throughout.  Other items, including a drone and teleport cloak, allow for unique exploration in many situations.  Boss fights present themselves throughout the entire experience, and they are always fun to take part in even if most entail finding a glowing weak point to exploit.  Highly recommended for fans of Metroidvanias, Axiom Verge is one of the strongest games yet in the genre to not have the name Metroid or Castlevania in the title. 

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4. Bloodborne (From Software - PS4)

A new twist on the "Souls" genre, Bloodborne is From Software's latest effort at challenging 3D combat but with a focus on faster combat.  There is enough here that will be familar to Souls fans, but the tweaks help to freshen up some areas of the budding genre.  You will die... a lot.  However, it is within the game loop of learning enemies' patterns as well as what you did wrong that help make a game like this incredibly rewarding.  In past years, Souls games have failed to really grab me despite being a fan of the challenge, but the hectic fights and new movement options helped finally make the genre click for me.  Constantly frustrated by my deaths, once I was able to get to the game's second boss and achieve victory on an early attempt, the hooks were in me.  The world is also masterly crafted, as everything is incredibly eerie as you explore Yharnam, even before some of the darker secrets begin to surface.  Everyone you encounter is hard to trust, enemies are grotesque, and the mystery of what is around the next corner always keeps you invested.  Even if you haven't been a previous fan of Demon's Souls or Dark Souls, it is worth giving Bloodborne a shot because the experience is that good.

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3. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Kojima Productions - 360, PC, PS3, PS4, XBO)

Every Metal Gear game found a way to do something different, but none of them changed the formula to the extent that The Phantom Pain did.  Dipping into the open world genre, MGSV allows the player to explore one of two open regions as they the main story as well as optional side ops that become available.  While the game still requires you to complete a specific set of missions, there is free reign to how and when you want to approach every situation.  If you need intel from a base, you can attempt to just sneak through and steal in undetected.  However, if you wanted extra safety while doing this, you could first find the communication satellites at that base to disable so that assistance cannot be called if you are discovered.  If that's not your style, you can just take out the entire base and then get what you need once no is left.  The choice is truly yours, and it allows for great replay value since you can tackle missions however you please.  Hideo Kojima's high production value is here as well as everything looks gorgeous and several over-the-top scenes exist.  The decision to be able to pilfer cassette tapes from enemies for your Walkman so that you can blast songs like "Kids in America" while you ride on horseback through the desert is a nice touch.  Unfortunately, the one thing holding this game back is the internal politics that ended up leaving the game's second act with a little to be desired, but the new systems and gameplay help soften that blow.  If this truly is the last mainline Metal Gear Solid, the series definitely ended on a high note.

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2. Undertale (Toby Fox - PC)

Continuing the trend of stellar releases from a one-man team, Undertale is the sole creation of Toby Fox.  On the surface, the game appears to be an RPG throwback to classics of the 16-bit era.  However, outside of the aesthetic and a few references found in the game, that is where the similarities end.  The very first fight in Undertale teaches you that you can kill your enemies or end the fights in alternative ways.  Random encounters and boss fights all take place in what looks like a turn-based system of old, but all enemy attacks will be in the form of shoot 'em ups where you must avoid various projectiles from your opponent.  However, your attacks consist of using specific QTE-like meters or finding out how to coax your opponent into ending the fight peacefully.  Each decision you make in these fights will change the story, and the beauty is that you won't full realize the changes until you play through the brief adventure again with a change of heart.  The story and characters are wonderfully written, as you'll come across unique situations and moments that will have you consistently laughing.  Not to mention that the soundtrack fits each scene in the game perfectly, and several of the songs are worth listening to again outside of the game. The best advice to give regarding Undertale is to not look into anything and experience it fresh, as there is a true sense of wonder that is missing from a lot of games that is found moment to moment here.  I'm jealous of everyone who gets to play through Undertale from scratch, as I know that I can't have that unknown experience again.  In the end, is there a better thing you can say about a game than that?

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1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red - PC, PS4, XBO)

At the end of the day though, there was nothing that provided as much entertainment in 2015 as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.   The third installment in the Witcher trilogy is no doubt the strongest yet, as Geralt and Ciri's adventure is vast, detailed, and rarely ever features a dull moment.  As more games experiment with open worlds, a standard pitfall of the genre is that some of the time is filled with tasks that feels like busy work when you have the fate of the world hanging in the balance.  However, it is hard to find much in Wild Hunt that can be construed as filler content.  Outside of the story missions, many of your side quests entail taking on contracts to investigate and dispatch powerful monsters or clear out areas from impeding threats.  Even the tutorial zone feels like a full game in its own right, as adjusting to the first large zone after the initial part of the quest can come as quite the shock.  The Witcher 3 also allows you to freely roam sections and find several enemies that are too tough initially very close to a settlement that is perfect for your level.  This type of action leads to a mystique that there is danger around every corner in this world and that one section isn't just "where the level 8 enemies are."  This helps make the world feel alive as opposed to something that is deliberately designed.  Then, after completing all of these tasks in this massive world including a highly detailed city, you discover that there is an entire other zone that is just as large with as many objectives to complete.  

Let's hop right in to the top ten game of 2015!  For more info on my rules and the honorable mentions, check out my initial post.

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10. Box Boy! (HAL Laboratory - 3DS)

There is a long history of stellar puzzle games in Nintendo's various handhelds, and the latest addition this year was Box Boy!  With a premise that seems simple at first, your square character can create a set number of boxes per stage that allow you to traverse various hazards until you arrive at the goal.  As you begin, the first few sets of levels are straightforward with puzzles involving pits and buttons, but the beauty of the game manifests  as more obstacles and mechanics are introduced in each subsequent world.  Learning how to think critically to combine lessons learned throughout the game help make getting to each exit more and more satisfying.  While it is a completely different tool-set, it is reminiscent of Portal where the developers use the environments in simple but creative ways to really make the player think about how to overcome everything.  In a fairly quiet year from Nintendo, this seldom discussed gem is a worthwhile experience.

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9. Downwell (Moppin - iOS, PC)

One of the strongest rogue-likes in recent years, Downwell is a frantic descent through, you guessed it, a well.  As with games like Spelunky, every game is unique as different weapon upgrades and character customization are made available at random parts of each playthrough.  However, once you lose all of your health, it is back to square one.  Each ammo type you get is shot out of your boots, so the goal is to destroy as many enemies as possible as you fall through different stages.  The added depth here is that there is also a highly beneficial combo system that allows you to get additional upgrades if you string together kills without landing on the ground.  Downwell is brutally difficult, but after enough repetition everything clicks and becomes one of the most satisfying gameplay loops of the year.  Every level quickly introduces new enemies and obstacles, and conquering three stages will send you to a completely new world that has its own trials and tribulations.  Downwell is by far the least expensive game on this list, and the hours of gameplay you'll get from the low cost may be the best value of the year.

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8. Rocket League (Psyonix - PC, PS4, XBO)

The sleeper hit of the year, Rocket League came from seemingly nowhere to take the industry by storm.  A mash-up of driving and sports genres, this fast pace game has you using boost-fueled cars to play soccer on a massive field.  It's an incredibly simple premise that Psyonix attempted a few years back with Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, but it was flawlessly executed here.  The only real difference between modes focus around the number of players on each team, and this allows every player to find their sweet spot for how much chaos they want in their games.  Games are incredibly easy to hop into, and chat is limited enough similar to Hearthstone where poor players’ attitudes won't dampen anyone's experience.  Rocket League is one of those games where it is simple to log on to play a game or two but find yourself still there trying to get one more win hours later.  Throw in solid post-launch support to help address early player concerns and robust DLC offerings, and it is easy to see why Rocket League is the phenomenon that it has become.

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7. Tales from the Borderlands (Telltale Games - iOS, PC, PS4, XBO)

As Telltale Games has expanded their portfolio in the past few years, the one title that they announced that left some scratching their heads was Tales from the Borderlands.  Most of the episodic games that the studio announced to that point where popular movie or comic adaptations, so utilizing Gearbox's shoot and loot franchise seemed quite odd.  However, it was apparent even in the earliest episodes that Tales from the Borderlands was something special and even found a way to tell stories better than the main games in the franchise.  There is a solid mix throughout the story of brand new characters as well as references and appearances from Pandora's denizens that players are already used to.  The cast is solid from top to bottom, as all of the new characters get their time to shine throughout all five episodes in this story.  The presentation from the often re-used engine is to be lauded as well, especially in the unique title card sequences that are shown near the beginning of each episode.  Tales from the Borderlands will keep you laughing consistently throughout, and the unique angle of having the story told from the perspective of two difference characters leads to some great gags throughout.  Usually games in this genre focus on decisions that will test your morals, but the comedic nature of these choices end up being a good touch.  This shouldn't be missed for fans of recent episodic adventure games, regardless of if you have any history with the Borderlands series.

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6. Super Mario Maker (Nintendo - Wii U)

An experience thirty years in the making, Super Mario Maker allows you to put your game design chops to work and create the Mario levels of your dreams.  Level editors have been around for years, but Nintendo once again found a way to put a fresh and streamlined spin on a genre to create something easy and fun to use for anyone.  Appealing to players across decades, the game includes tile-sets, enemies, and mechanics from four different Mario games to allow several types of unique creations.  Nintendo put a lot of thought into this project, including not allowing players to upload levels unless they'd bested it themselves as well as creating versions of enemies and items for games that they did not initially appear in.  If creating levels isn't your thing, that isn't a problem, as there are several filters to find popular and new levels for anyone to immediately dive into.  Additionally, the 100 Mario Challenge allows the player to try to conquer several levels with a difficulty of their choosing to see if they can finish before losing 100 lives.  People have done insane things with this tool-set in just a few months, and with Nintendo not letting up in their support for the game, it will be very interesting to see where the game goes in 2016 and beyond.  

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One year ago, many discussions in gaming revolved around 2014 being a transitional year as the "next generation" kicked off.  Sitting here twelve months later, the same simply cannot be said for 2015.  In what could be considered one of the strongest years in gaming, 2015 delivered great experiences from AAA studios all the way down to creations from sole developers.  It's been a good year, so why not take a look back?

It was much more challenging this year to narrow down the list, as it seemed as if there were so many must-play games.  As with last year's list, the following rules apply:

The game must have its final retail release in 2015.  Thus, anything in an alpha/beta state or Steam Early Access does not qualify.

In the case of episodic games, they must have their final episode delivered in 2015 to make the list.

While this list is comprehensive, I haven't played everything.  Games like Pillars of Eternity and Dying Light seem great, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance to dive in yet.

Most importantly: the game has to be really good.  No-brainer there.

In the coming days, a few games will be profiled every day until the full top ten is unveiled.  However, since this was such a banner year for games, today's post will look at the five games that just barely missed the cut.  It's 2015, so it only seems fitting to look at 15 games.

Life is Strange (Dontnod Entertainment - 360, PC, PS3, PS4, XBO)

There was no shortage of episodic games this year, but Dontnod Entertainment took a unique look at the genre.  Focused around the life of teens in the Pacific Northwest, the game's main character, Max, discovers she has the ability to rewind time.  As with most current episodic games, the focus is played on decisions you make in conversations with other characters.  However, bending time to your will allows for learning more about specific people and events so that you can rewind and answer questions differently with your new information.  This helps create some clever puzzles and really gives the game a flavor of his own.  While pacing issues certainly exist throughout some episodes, it is worth your time to unravel the mystery unfolding in Arcadia Bay while taking a fresh look at this recently boom genre.

Her Story (Same Barlow - iOS/PC)

Quite possibly the most unique experience of the year, Her Story puts you in the shoes of a detective researching interview videos regarding a murder in the 1990s. Complete with a computer from that era, you are given access to a database where you can search for videos to help piece together this mystery.  Not a lot of guidance is provided here, and that helps add to the mystique as you identify clues from different clips.  Combing through the dialogue to learn names of new characters and locations allows you to dig deeper and deeper until you begin to piece together the truth of the situation.  It is quite open ended, which is one of its biggest strengths.  However, the show-stealer here is Viva Seifert, who carries the entire game on her shoulders with her performance.  Since the whole story is told through her interviews, it is hard not to admire the hours of work put in to deliver quite the spectacle in the narrative she presents.

Ori and the Blind Forest (Moon Studios - PC, XBO)

With its gorgeous art style and powerful opening, it is hard for Ori and the Blind Forest not to pull your heart strings right off the bat.  Jumping between varied environments, the game builds a solid Metroidvania as you explore the map.  While there isn't as much backtracking for secrets as you see in the genre, Ori makes up for it with some tremendous action sequences that keep you on the edge of your seat.  Add in a quality soundtrack, and there is a world here that you don't want to say farewell to at the end.  There are some solid customization options present here as well, as the upgrade system allows you to focus on either building a defensive hero, someone who is a strong attacker, or even a character with enough insight to get more out of items or the map.  Don't sleep on the story here though, as even though the narrative is limited, it is powerful in its own right.

Grow Home (Ubisoft Reflections - PC, PS4)

As an experimental project out of one of Ubisoft's smaller Studios, this was a pleasant surprise early this year.  As Kickstarters such as Yooka Laylee attempt to re-establish the 3D character platformer,  Grow Home got ahead of the trend and gave the world a new look at this genre.  You are given free reign most of the game as you build a gigantic plant towards the spaceship the initially dropped you on a new planet.  It is a simple premise, but giving the player freedom to extend branches anywhere as well as use triggers as controls for climbing with your hands helps lead to an open adventure.  You can choose to find all of the collectible crystals to further power up your character or instead just focus on getting back to your ship.  There is also wildlife and other objects you can explore and find so that you can research at your base.  While it is a minimalist experience, there is plenty to do in this clever world to keep you coming back.

Fallout 4 (Bethesda Game Studios - PC, PS4, XBO)

One of the biggest releases this year, Fallout 4 is definitely quite the adventure.  You again find yourself wandering the Wasteland, but this team up in the Commonwealth in New England.  There's no shortage of content here, as this world will give you dozens upon dozens of hours of playtime.  While you are helping your character achieve their main mission of finding their child, you'll come across plenty of unique characters and side quests along the way to occupy your time.  There is plenty of interesting content here, highlighted by a questline where a companion will ask you to masquerade to be an old-time radio superhero as you thwart villains.  Fallout 4 doesn't do enough to separate it from its predecessor's from the last generation, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take the time to lose yourself again in the Wasteland.

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A History of Violence

Dennaton Games’ Hotline Miami hit the scene in late 2012, and it captivated audiences with its unique aesthetic to become an indie classic.  Slightly more than two years later, the ultra-violent action experience is back to tell the stories of faces both new and old to the series.  Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is more of the same with a few tweaks and more killer action..  

Taking the formula from the original game, your character is tasked with clearing out floors of enemies until you are the last man standing.  While it seems simple, death waits around every corner as enemies will kill you quickly with one melee swing or bullet.  The pace of the action is always frantic both in success and failure, as you are easily able to restart a floor with the push of a button upon taking fatal damage.  Enemies mostly have the same patrol patterns and behavior, so you’ll be able to learn from your mistakes and figure out the best way to clear a room after making a mistake on previous attempts.  While it is technically an action game, finding the solutions to mowing down hordes of enemies from floor to floor gives the player the feeling that they are also in a puzzle game.

If you have played the first entry in the series, none of this may sound very new.  One of the issues with Wrong Number is that, gameplay-wise, it does not deviate too far from the blueprint of its predecessor. There are certainly points where the sequel feels as if it is just a supersized version of Hotline Miami, as several levels are just larger versions of what has been seen before.  That is not to say that there is nothing new about the game, as Dennaton does add novel changes to the action in certain levels. Instead of playing most of the game as a single character, levels switch between a motley crew of personalities with different abilities.  One character is unable to utilize the weapons found on defeated enemies while another is able to hold a firearm in each hand, allowing carnage on a grander scale.  It’s a shame that some of these ideas aren’t expanded upon further, as they are a nice change of pace while experimenting in these specific levels.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number definitely oozes style though.  The intense soundtrack constantly sets the pace for high octane action in every level.  The tracks found in this game will help keep you invested as you die over and over again. While some of the environments look similar to what was found in the first game, there are plenty of new areas to be explored that look great.  The unique top-down 2D style used by Dennaton still feels fresh two years later, and it was great to see this expanded on further.

The most notable achievement compared to the original game has to be the narrative.  The story can be initially hard to follow, as you constantly jump forward and backward in time in each new level.  The characters all have unique motivations for their bloodlust, and as the game progresses you will slowly learn more and more about what is going on.  Even though some characters are only introduced briefly, the impacts of their story arcs are felt by others in some way.  Some of the story is hidden in collectable newspapers that are not too hard to find, but the game has a very satisfying conclusion if you are able to piece everything together after the credits roll.  

It is worth noting that Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number certainly has its share of technical issues. Some enemies, specifically the dogs, have issues that will cause them to get stuck in a spinning animation. Weapons that are thrown or dropped can clip through the environment, rendering them useless.  There were also two different occasions where an enemy found a way to wander completely out of bounds, forcing you to have to find a way to die or restart the level as that prevents any progress.  Dennaton has been very vocal about collecting bug data, so hopefully these will not remain a mark against the game’s quality for long.

Retreading familiar ground while experimenting with a few new innovations, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a good sequel, but it leaves you yearning for a little bit more.  Fans of the previous game will definitely find more of what they enjoyed from the original here, but do not come in expecting any grand innovations.  Be prepared to die early and often, all while tapping your feet along to yet another stellar soundtrack.  

High in the Sky

Every so often, a game comes along that is not on many people’s radar, yet it impresses the player at the same level as something they have been anticipating for months.  Grow Home, developed by Ubisoft Reflections in the UK, was announced two weeks ago and then went live this past week.  It is a beautifully simplistic exploration game where the environment is yours to grow, expand, and enjoy.

You play as a robot named B.U.D. (Botanical Utility Droid) whose mission is to explore a foreign world in search of a harvest to bring back to his home planet.  There really isn’t much story to the game, as you are just dropped into the world with a few brief cutscenes with text explaining your objective.  Grow Home slowly eases you into its mechanics, as at first you can only jump and climb.  The climbing aspect of the game is what helps set it apart from similar exploration games, as you use the bumpers on your controller to utilize the grip of each hand. This allows you to scale any wall or branch by holding on with one hand and use the other to reach higher, and so on. This makes every portion of the world yours to explore, and it serves as a great failsafe when you fall from a high distance and can immediately grab any surface to prevent death.

Grow Home tasks the player with two major objectives: grow a plant into the atmosphere to produce seeds to bring to your ship and collect crystals to unlock the full potential of B.U.D. After only a few minutes of play, you’ll arrive at the central plant that extends upward, and you will see several floating landmasses just out of reach.  As you climb up the main beanstalk, you can bounce off of a leaf to boost higher or grab onto a branch to extend it outward.  While you are growing the branches, you can grow into the landmasses in the sky to further grow the main portion of the plant.  After doing this a few times, the central portion of the plan will reach new main islands that act as hubs to explore before growing the plant even further.  These sections act as a nice reprieve to enjoy the scenery before continuing your daunting ascent.

Hidden throughout your climb are several small crystals.  These can be found on cliffs, in caves, or just out in the open, and they will slowly fill up a completion meter on the top of the screen.  As you hit certain thresholds of crystals collected, B.U.D. will gain more powers, including jetpack propulsion for jumping and the ability to zoom out to better view surroundings.  While collecting these is completely optional, they add a great collectible aspect to the game as you scour every floating island you see to enhance your character.  There are a lot of neat tricks that the developers use to hide these, including having them hanging from ceilings or placing them in the mouths of deadly bot-eating plants.  There are 100 of these hidden throughout the world, so it is also a good way to keep you wanting to explore more after you finish the main objective.

The game also allows you to traverse the world using the environment as well as a few items that you can store.  There are several of surfaces that will act like trampolines to launch you much higher than a standard jump, and some plants will even fling you as if they were a catapult.  B.U.D. also carries a backpack that allows him to wield some plants that will allow him to either slowfall temporarily or glide until he collides into part of the environment.  These options are great for planning way to get to areas that are just out of reach, or you can use them as a backup plan if your original idea of traversal was not going to pan out.  

The visual style in Grow Home is also quite unique.  The art gives the game a life all its own, as everything is bursting with color.  The scarce wildlife you encounter is all very quirky, and they will scurry around once they notice there is a visitor.  The main islands you come across all offer their own novel flavor as well, as you’ll navigate through a rushing waterfall and a serene mountaintop.  The best part is, as you continue to grow the plant further into the sky, you can always look down and see the previous islands as well as what your increased vegetation has added to the land.  It is a great way to realize the scope of the game, despite its brevity.  B.U.D. also feels like he is bursting with life, as his movements are not perfectly fluid and he will even continue to run slightly while he tries to slow down after a big jump.  He is not supposed to be the world's perfect robot, and that shows wonderfully by the way he controls.

Grow Home is one of those games that you wish would keep going once you reach the finale.  It is a wonderful world that sparks your imagination, and seeing Ubisoft Reflections’ creation just puts a smile on your face. There will always been islands to explore and terrain to marvel at after the main objective is complete, but unfortunately the world cannot be endless.  For the asking price ($7.99), you’ll get a great experience that is more than worth your money for a few hours, and it’ll be really intriguing to see what the minds behind this game do next.

8.5/10

52 in 52 Update – Week 5

Grow Home is the fifth game I’ve finished this year, so I remain on pace.  Most weeks when I play a new release, a review of that game will likely replace the standard 52 in 52 template, as I am covering the points I normally would, plus a little extra.  I continued to whittle away at Suikoden and put minor time into Grim Fandago, so hopefully you’ll being hearing more about those soon.  Check below for my ordered update.

WHERE I STAND (as of February 8)

Complete 1. Shovel Knight (New Game+) [January 6] 2. VVVVVV [January 9] 3. 1,001 Spikes [January 22] 4. Super Mario 3D World [Completed January 27] 5. Grow Home [Completed February 8]

What I’m Working On Suikoden Life is Strange (Episode 1 Complete) Grim Fandango: Remastered

52 Games in 52 Weeks: Week 4

As the first month of the year draws to a close, the 52 games in 52 weeks challenge is just getting started. The recent onslaught of snow has delayed this Sunday post to a Wednesday post, but it still catalogs my experiences through the week ending on February 1.

As the weeks go on, you’ll see this column evolve based on the games that I’m playing as well as the most practical way to convey my feelings about them to the reader. While I initially stated that I would not include many thoughts on games that are still in progress, it is going to be hard to wait until an episodic series is finished to provide an info dump regarding that title if I started it nine months prior. That was a lesson learned this week, as you’ll see below.

But enough talk, have at you!

What I Finished

Game 4 – Super Mario 3D World (Wii U) [Completed January 27]

The Wii U has had its fair share of struggles, despite the critical success of hallmark first part titles over the past fifteen months. A lot of this had to do with mixed messaging early in the console’s life cycle, as plenty of consumers really didn’t understand what exactly the Wii U was. You can still probably find people who think that it is just a tablet that’s purchased as a peripheral for the original Wii. While trying to convince the consumer that their big projects were on the way for their struggling console at E3 2013, Super Mario 3D World was announced at their Nintendo Direct.

At first glance, the next big 3D Mario title just looked like a prettier version of the 2011 3DS Title: Super Mario 3D Land. While that title was stellar in its own right, it was easy to be skeptical as 3D Land was a handheld experience that was meant to be played in short bursts. It initially seemed uninspired that Nintendo’s first crack at a high definition 3D Mario title would just be a rehash of something they did for their handheld.

Luckily, this couldn't have been further from the truth. While the Super Mario 3D World definitely shares a lot of features seen in the 3DS title, everything still finds a way to feel novel. The team does a fantastic job of world building, even if some of the stages are brief “race through this level in 100 seconds” stages. The Mario series always does a great job of taking concepts introduced in previous titles and further innovating them while adding something new, and that’s no different here. Clever disappearing block levels, puzzles involving clearing boxes and enemies from rooms, as well as getting specific coins in a short time period still work great.

It’s what they added that really helps make this title its own though. The two new power suits, the cat and the double cherry, each find their own ways to present clever twists on the tried and true Mario formula. One level, which was actually used in a 2013 New York Comic Con level, tasks you with using the cat suit to climb walls to the top of the level, but conveyer belts and obstacles make navigating much trickier. The double cherry, while only seen in a few levels, allows you to multiply your character by one for each cherry you get. You continue to control all of the characters with one set of inputs, and there is typically a reward for making it to a certain part of the level with three or four clones still alive. It can be hectic and stressful at times, but syncing up jumps and switch presses with multiple Marios was a blast.

While the world definitely needs a true Galaxy-esque 3D Mario title, Super Mario 3D World was a great first step into the realm of HD 3D Mario. It’ll probably be a while until Nintendo reveals what’s next for this plumber’s main adventures, but this was a great game to get the Wii U rolling.

Oh, and there's the great fun that is Captain Toad.  But, let's save that for a spin-off that may be discussed later. 

In Progress

Life is Strange – Episode 1

The Walking Dead: Season One and Gone Home are two of the strongest story-driven games of the past couple years. The idea of combining aspects of these two games, while adding a twist, was something that intrigued me straight from the announcement. I made the decision to avoid coverage surrounding this game until release, and going in fresh helped give me a look at this.

Life is Strange follows a high school senior named Max who is accepted into an academy in her home town that she left five years earlier. Throughout the brief first episode, you are given choices similar to many Telltale Games that will build or hamper relations that you have with others. However, there is a supernatural elemental that puts a clever twist on this formula where you can rewind time. This allows you the ability to change the way you handled a recent choice in a situation or even use knowledge you gained in the future to your advantage. It’s a clever take that allows you to rely less on snap judgments and focus more on the path you truly wish to take.

The game’s first episode sets up a good foundation for what is to come, but there’s definitely work to be done. On the technical side of things, it is incredibly hard to not get taken out of the moment as you constantly notice the lip syncing in dialogue is not put together well. There were a few instances that I had to look at something else on the screen, as the way that the character’s mouths were moving just seemed so off.

This game certainly has heart, and it’s refreshing to see a story in this setting that gives a look into the struggles of a (mostly) normal kid. Let’s just hope episode two, which is due out sometime in March, continues the trend.

WHERE I STAND (as of February 1)

Four weeks down, and four games are in the books! Hopefully this trend continues, as there are some much longer games in the horizon.

Complete 1. Shovel Knight (New Game+) [January 6] 2. VVVVVV [January 9] 3. 1,001 Spikes [January 22] 4. Super Mario 3D World [Completed January 27]

What I’m Working On Suikoden Life is Strange (Episode 1 Complete) Grim Fandango: Remastered

52 Games in 2015: The Introduction

Backlogs often seem insurmountable at times.  With Steam holiday sales, Playstation Plus and Games with Gold offerings, as well as other deep discount sales, it’s been harder than ever to complete everything.   As a result, I have built quite the list of games that I own which I have not finished.  I’ve decided that 2015 is the year where I put a big dent into my catalog.

Inspired by the challenge run on NeoGAF over the past few years, I’ll be looking to complete 52 games in 52 weeks.  This will be used as a mechanism to help clear out my backlog while at the same time getting through the new releases that interest me.  Additionally, I’ll be replaying some games that I’ve completed in the past so that I can go through challenges and difficulties that I haven’t had time to return to.  It’ll be a journey that will evolve throughout the year, and I hope you come along for the ride.

How it Works

Simply put, I need to finish 52 games this year.  I began this on the first full week of January (1/5 – 1/11) and have until the last week of the year (12/28 – 1/3) to complete the 52nd game.  Since games come in all shapes and sizes, there will be some that take much more than a week, while others will only take a night or two.  Staying on pace will be important, but there will definitely be weeks where this fluctuates.  Dragon Age: Inquisition will certainly take longer than most of the games on my list, but a game like Braid will probably offset that. 

While the ultimate goal will be to complete as many games in my backlog as I can, spending all year playing solely games from previous years is not what I’m looking to do.  There are plenty of releases that I’m excited for in 2015 such as Uncharted 4, Metal Gear Solid V, and Hyper Light Drifter.  They will certainly be catalogued as part of this challenge as well.

Finally, there are games that I’ve played, but I haven’t gone back to complete specific playthrough challenges or received some form of re-release.  I consider these as a separate backlog, as I’d really like to play Bioshock Infinite on 1999 Mode to finish my platinum trophy or go through the HD remake of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.  This seems like as good of an opportunity as ever!

Every week I’ll write up thoughts on the games that were completed that week, as well as provide brief updates on what else I’m currently going through.  Don’t expect anything meaty on a game until it is complete though, as a full summation of my thoughts seems to be better unless it is a monster of a game.

Additionally, I’ll be streaming many of the games that I am able to on my Twitch channel.  Follow me there or on Twitter for updates on when I’m live.

Planned Games

While I have a plan, I don’t think it would be wise to tip my hand too much.  However, I can tell you that games in my backlog that I definitely plan on getting through include Dishonored, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and Shadow of Mordor.  I just recently purchased a Wii U, and there’s plenty in the catalog that seem to be calling my name.  Against better judgment, I’m even planning to give Final Fantasy XIII a second chance!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of my most anticipated games of the year, and I’m hoping to get through the first two games leading up its release.  I’m pondering doing this with other franchises, but you’ll have to wait on see on that.

There’s also a streaming challenge that I’ve wanted to do for a while now, and there’s no time like the present.  Let’s just say that it might be time to finally praise the sun.

Weeks One through Three Recap

As I mentioned earlier, this challenge began on the first week of 2015.  I have kept pace and completed three games already, but I have been saving my thoughts while I prepared the setup post for this challenge.  So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Game 1 – Shovel Knight – New Game+ Difficulty (PC) [Completed January 6]

What better way to begin this 2015 challenge than to return to my 2014 game of the year?  Shovel Knight is a fantastic game, but I’ve already told you about that.  Being a veteran of the 8-bit era, I found the difficulty of the game on normal difficulty to be fairly straightforward.   I wanted to go back to see what New Game+ changed, and I’m glad that I did.

With fewer checkpoints in each level, minimal health drops, and increased damage taken, it seems that New Game+ is the way for children of the eighties to play Yacht Club Games’ debut effort.   The amount of times that I died just one screen short of a checkpoint was maddening, but I learned from my mistakes and made it through.  I felt that I justified my game of the year choice after this playthrough, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Game 2 – VVVVVV (iOS) [Completed January 9]

Terry Cavanaugh’s space exploration platformer is still a blast all these years later.  I initially ventured through the game on PC, and when I finished I remember saying that it was a great experience that I couldn’t see myself playing again.  However, when the iOS version went on sale a few months ago for less than a dollar, I picked it up out of curiosity to see if the touch screen controls worked.  I didn’t end up actually playing the game until earlier this month.

While most of my deaths were certainly due to my inept platforming, I did run across a few instances of running out of room to move my character on the cramped iPhone screen.  This only deterred me in a few instances where quick, precision flips were needed, but it didn’t detract too much from the overall experience.  After 601 deaths and 2,433 flips, all of the crew was rescued and only 50 games remained to complete. 

That wasn’t all though.  When talking to a friend, I was told that there was no point to playing VVVVVV if I didn’t collect the game’s hardest collectable, which is common referred to as the Veni Vidi Vici trinket.  While I did this on my initial playthrough, it was a whole new challenge learning how to navigate the spiked corridors with touch controls.  In what felt like an eternity, I got through the traps and had my reward so that I could say I truly finished VVVVVV.  Just don’t say anything about the other trinkets I didn’t get.

Game 3 – 1,001 Spikes (PC) [Completed January 22]

This Nicalis adventure was something that has been on my radar for a long time.  I’m a big supporter of tough-as-nails 2D platformers, so I couldn’t resist picking this up during the Steam Holiday Sale.  The premise is simple on paper: You have 1,001 lives to find a key and open a door in each level.  However, standing in your way are spikes, dagger-shooting traps, scorpions, lava, falling blocks, and I could keep going on and on.  Every jump is precise, and mastering the timing of how to avoid each trap becomes an art. 

After getting through the game, I felt accomplished as I thought I did so at an above average pace.  I even managed to get the “Speed Runner” achievement for finishing the game with a cumulative play time of my successful attempts in each level of under 30 minutes.  However, I was genuinely surprised that this was only half the game, as a whole second world exists with many more spikes and many more penguins.  In fact, these birds may have caused the most deaths, which was frustrating and adorable all at the same time.  After many more hours, I made it through the harder levels of the game and was able to conquer everything with a few hundred lives left.

The game as a whole was solid, but it definitely was not without its flaws.  During some of the later levels, it can become monotonous as you master the initial part of a level, but then you have to constantly repeat it to return to the portion of the level that is giving you issues.  While this is the same in most platformers, it seems overly frustrating in some areas of this game.  You also are armed with one weapon: a throwing knife.  While this helps bail you out when dealing with enemies, you have to use the daggers to counter certain traps.  Several times when doing this, my knife seemed to go through the traps or not deflect them properly, which became quite annoying.

If you enjoy a challenge, don’t sleep on this one.  You may want to smash your controller, but you’ll get there eventually.

WHERE I STAND (as of January 25)

Complete 1. Shovel Knight (New Game+) [January 6] 2. VVVVVV [January 9] 3. 1,001 Spikes [January 22]

What I’m Working On Suikoden Super Mario 3D World

What an odd year it’s been for video games.  Hot off the heels of Sony and Microsoft releasing their latest consoles last November, the past twelve months have definitely been a slow start for the new console generation.  The most anticipated games for 2014 were mostly either disappointing, delayed, or just broken.  While looking back at past console launches, this should have been expected, but it still made the year feel weird.  However, there were still plenty of bright spots that made 2014 an enjoyable time for gaming if you knew where to look.

It’s worth briefly discussing some games that didn’t make my list for a variety of reasons.  Infamous: Second Son was the game I initially had the highest hopes for in 2014.  While the game certainly checked out in the visual department, the game unfortunately got stale really quick.  That’s not to say it’s a bad game, but it lacked anything to set it apart.  Nidhogg finally came out this year!  This was one of the most fun local multiplayer experiences I’ve had this year, but the game only shines when you have other people to play with.  The game comes highly recommended; just make sure you have people to throw digital swords at if you want to get the game’s true value.  The Banner Saga intertwines beautiful art with a story that has actual impactful choices.  The tactical RPG mechanics were very strong, but it feels that some systems could use some tweaks that might be seen in the recently announced sequel.

Finally, there’s the game that I’d probably consider number eleven on my list: Destiny.  Bungie released their massive shooter project this year, and it’s quite the mixed bag.  The team definitely hit the mark when it comes to the gameplay, as the controls feel great while you’re out doing PVE or PVP content.  The first raid, The Vault of Glass, was a novel experience in a first person shooter and one of my highlights of the year. However, the lack of diversified content and bland material grind really makes the game feel incomplete.  It feels like the foundation was set for this to be the FPS counterpart to the MMO genre, but there’s still work left to get the franchise really going.

Enough about what’s not on the list, let’s get down to what games really stood out in 2014.  Here are the rules and notes for what qualifies to be on this list:

The game must have had its full release in 2014.  This means no games in alpha/beta or Steam Early Access

I must have played enough to feel confident enough having it on my list.  While I’ve recently picked up games like Shadow of Mordor, Dragon Age, Wolfenstein, and Far Cry 4, I haven’t put enough time into them for a justified opinion.

Episodic games must have had their final episode released in 2014 to be considered. 

I don’t own a Wii U or Xbox One.  I’m aware Nintendo put a lot of work into their exclusives this year and Microsoft had what seems like a hit with Sunset Overdrive.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance to play most of them.

The games have to be really good.  That’s the obvious one, right?

10. Luftrausers (Vlambeer – PC/PS3/Vita)

Every year, a game comes along that can catch you even if you’re only looking to fill five minutes.  Immediately when you load into Luftrausers, you’re able to launch your plane and begin a quick round of a firefight by just pressing up.  Everything is hectic in the best way possible, and the best part is that you’re usually done shortly after launching into the skies.  It’s a short experience, even if you do well, but it’s almost always satisfying.  While the customization options may not seem do diverse at first glance, mixing and matching into the 125 possible combinations of parts to find your ideal fighter jet becomes a game within itself.  While it’s a great game to just fill a few minutes, you may find that those minutes turn to hours very fast.

  9. This War of Mine (11 Bit Studios – PC)

War is nothing new in games, but this year a few games took a different glance into various conflicts.  This War of Mine, set in a world inspired by the Siege of Sarajevo, doesn’t put you into the shoes of a solider, but instead a survivor doing anything possible to make it to the next day.  Your heart aches as you go out in the night to scavenge for supplies knowing that sometimes the best way for you and your group to survive is to pillage another house of survivors who aren’t willing to barter.  Some nights the best option is to sneak into the town square while constantly hiding from sniper fire to see if anyone left supplies behind.  Other survivors outside of your inner circle of playable characters can ask for assistance, but lending them aid can cost you materials you need to keep your friends warm and healthy.  Plus, how do you know if you can trust them?  What if they are just as desperate as you?  These tough decisions cause This War of Mine to not necessarily be a fun game to play, but instead a troubling experience that pulls at your heart strings.  That’s exactly why it’s such an unforgettable experience.

8. Hitman GO (Square Enix Montreal – Mobile)

Thinking that the strongest Hitman game in years would come out in 2014 for mobile devices is odd, but that’s exactly what happened.  Taking the core stealth values of the series, Hitman GO allows you to sneak around a small map that looks like it was taken out of a board game.  As you move your Agent 47 pawn to his destination, you need to sneak around guards that have patrols based on your last move.  It’s a smart formula that allows for many deviations in strategy based on your surroundings.  As you progress further into the game, you are slowly introduced to different items that keep the experience fresh, including objects you can throw to make noise and divert your enemy’s attention, costumes to dupe specific guards, and rifles with one shot to pick off a hostile.  While each stage’s goal is to make it to a specific point or kill your mark, two additional challenges are placed into every level that provides a good reason to replay sections to improve your strategy.  Hitman GO was definitely one of the most outside-the-box ideas with an existing IP in 2014, and it came together so well. 

    7. Bravely Default (Square Enix – 3DS)

At first glance, Bravely Default simply looks like a clone of a traditional Final Fantasy game.  While that is true in some regards, this RPG forges its own identity by utilizing clever tweaks to systems found in Square Enix’s hallmark franchise.  The biggest of these changes is the “Brave” and “Default” options in the battle system, which allow you to use future turns immediately for a substantial combo or save a turn for future use, respectively.  This leads to some incredibly challenging boss encounters where you need to study the pattern of an enemy and decide if you need to strike now or save your turns to let out an onslaught of damage later.  Healing roles were also freshened up thanks to this mechanic, allowing you to string together smart combinations of defensive magic if the enemy was preparing carnage of their own.  Add in a complex job system, an option to alter your random encounter rate on the fly, and a time based city building mini game, and Bravely Default comes together into a wonderful package.  The second act of the game definitely detracts from the overall experience, but that’s not enough to take away from all that this RPG does right.  

6. Super Smash Bros (Nintendo – 3DS/Wii U)

New Super Smash Bros games do not come along often, and this year we were graced with two of them.  While each version has its own special features and stages, these games share enough in common to be grouped together.   Nintendo’s tribute to its flagship franchises is just as fun to play as ever, and the small tweaks made to the game exemplify what the company does best with sequels to their long-running franchises.  The impressive character roster, including both exciting newcomers and almost every veteran fighter returning, allow many avenues to experience Smash with different styles.  The Wii U version received a new feature, 8-Player Smash, which is one of the most entertaining multiplayer experiences you can have if you have a big group around.  Some of the new modes added to each version leave a bit to be desired, but Super Smash Bros continues to be a blast fifteen years after the first installment’s release.

5. OlliOlli (Roll 7 – PC/PS4/PS3/Vita)

The skateboarding genre has been virtually non-existent over the past few years, but OlliOlli changed that.  Initially released as a Vita exclusive in January, it’s the tricks and combo system pioneered in the Tony Hawk and Skate franchises combined with 2D platforming.  The result is something truly unique, as you grind and complete flip tricks through a level while avoiding falling flat on your face.  There are only three control options ever used: the left stick movement determines your trick, the face button is used to land when hitting the ground, and the shoulder buttons are used to combo with your tricks to pull off fancier moves or add spins.  While only having minimal controls seems simple, OlliOlli is one of the most challenging experiences of 2014.  It takes a lot of focus and practice to reach the end of the stage, and it requires even more dedication to complete the five challenges of every level to unlock the later difficulties.  Luckily, the game quickly respawns you similar to Super Meat Boy after you wipe out, so you never miss a beat.  Beating the game in Rad Mode, the third difficulty where you must finish each level in the game by getting a “perfect” on every trick, is one of the hardest difficulties in a game this year.  Add in a daily challenge level with leaderboards that takes less than a minute to do, and you have one of the most underrated gems of 2014.

4. South Park: The Stick of Truth (Obsidian – 360/PC/PS3)

This was a game that seemed set up to fail.  It was a licensed game being made by a developer that has experienced issues with recent releases.  On top of that, there were constantly delays and the game had to switch publishers after THQ folded.  However, South Park: The Stick of Truth overcame all of the doubts and became something special.  An RPG with gameplay elements similar to the Paper Mario series, it captures everything that makes the show successful while at the same time parodying several aspects of games past and present.  While the combat is simple, the kids using firecrackers and farts as their magic attacks keeps you smiling as you get through the fights.  Everything about the characters and setting are ripped right from the show, and there are references for everyone, even if you haven’t kept up with South Park in years.  The games does a good job to keep the laughs rolling throughout with its over the top story set pieces to the fake Facebook where you can read the other characters’ zany wall posts.  The Stick of Truth is basically a twelve hour long episode of South Park, and it proves that licensed games can indeed be true to their source material.

3. Transistor (Supergiant Games – PC/PS4)

Following up the success of Bastion was a tough task, but Supergiant Games rose to the occasion.  Transistor may seem similar to the developer’s initial outing from afar due to the narrator character, but there is a fresh new experience here.  Mixing turn based combat with real time action creates a battle system that can be played in many different ways.  Furthering that point, each ability you get through the course of the game can be used as an active ability, a secondary effect to another ability, or give your character a passive bonus.  This allows the player to customize their experience in a plethora of ways and build a character that fits their playstyle.  Supergiant also created a fantastic world with a soundtrack that perfectly enhances the atmosphere of each situation you find yourself in.  The best example of this is the first boss in the game, who has three different phases as you fight her.  The music starts out normally, but as you progress to the later phases of the fight, Ashley Barret’s vocals slowly become distorted and the song gets darker.  One of the main story points is that your character, a singer named Red, loses her voice in the events prior to the start of the game, so the game has a dedicated button to allow her to hum along to the current background music.  It’s a nice touch that the player can use during a reprieve in the action.  The team even found a way to use the speaker on the Dualshock 4 in the most creative way yet, as your narrator, the sword, will speak to you through it if you choose.  Sing on, Red.

2. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (Blizzard – Mobile/PC)

Trading card games have never interested me, and when I heard that a surprise Blizzard announcement at a 2013 convention was in this genre, I was disappointed.  However, as the beta rolled out and the game moved towards full release in 2014, it was hard to keep that attitude.  Hearthstone does was Blizzard does best, and that’s create a streamlined and well-polished entry to a genre that someone might not necessarily be interested in.  While most people new to card games will probably struggle in the beginning, the mechanics are quite simple and the automation of everything allows players to quickly modify decks and jump into games.  The game also does free-to-play right, as the daily quest challenges provide enough coins to get packs and arena keys fairly quickly, and skilled players can use the arena to get better rewards even faster.  Hearthstone also does a fantastic job with audio and visuals in the game, as each track in the soundtrack is quite good and all of the minions, spells, and game boards breathe life into the game.  The game has even continued to evolve with its single player focused Naxxramas expansion as well as the recently released Goblins vs. Gnomes card packs.  Hearthstone is here to stay, and it will be interesting to see where the game goes in 2015 and beyond.

1. Shovel Knight (Yacht Club Games – 3DS/PC/Wii U)

Ever since indie games began rising to prominence in the early XBLA days, it seems as if the idea of trying to make a game that cashes in on NES-era nostalgia has been done to death.  While Shovel Knight definitely falls into this category, utilizing aspects that made Mega Man, Castlevania, Duck Tales, Zelda II, and Super Mario Bros 3 classics, it crafts an experience that is entirely its own.  It’s an adventure that tells a story of a knight fighting for his lost love, but it makes sure to not take itself seriously.  The reason that this game succeeded was the number of ways it keeps a smile on the player’s face.  Each stage has its own unique look, platforming challenges, and creative enemy design.  While the player will die throughout their adventure, the platforming in the game is phenomenal and no portion ever seems unfair.  Every boss fight is entertaining, and the 8-bit style villains even give quick insight to their characters instead of just being mindless evil pixels that need to be taken out.  The sub-weapons and their related bonus challenge areas give the player new and innovative ways to combat enemies or traverse obstacles.  Even going back to the towns, which mostly only exist to purchase power-ups, is entertaining due to the liveliness of the citizens.  Just try to not smile when you talk to one of the frogs that tell you a multitude of puns based on characters and settings in the game.  Jake “Virt” Kaufman also did a great job with the soundtrack, as you’ll always find yourself tapping along to the music on each stage.  Yacht Club Games’ have looked back at where games came from, and with their debut effort crafted something fresh that is truly special.  Shovel Knight is clearly a labor of love, and it’s great to see a Kickstarter project like this succeed as it did.  Justice, in spades!