Medi[a]ocrity at its best

I’d like to start this off by thanking those who encouraged me to write this article, my friends and family who encouraged me to rekindle this project despite my own trepidation. I hope its quality lives up to those lofty expectations.

     Say what you will about the hobby, gaming is in many ways the gift that keeps on giving. Every year there are hundreds, if not thousands of new offerings for every brand of player out there. And wouldn't you know it, there's a fairly significant portion of that library that are actually pretty good. Now, people will argue ad infinitum about what games are the best, or what consoles, or even which generation trumps the rest. This diversity of opinion is what has allowed gaming discussion to thrive just as potently as the medium which it encapsulates. Like any opinion, all of this is especially subjective; great games have been coming out pretty much every year since gaming began, a trend that seems like it will continue as long as gaming itself continues to thrive. While some may argue, I would say the latest generation thrived especially well. Ignoring the Wii-U, since I never owned one, and skirting around handhelds, the latest generation spanned the life of the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4, and technically, the Nintendo Switch. And through their seven-year life [switch notwithstanding], we saw the release of some truly excellent games - from top budget AAA titles to humble indie offerings. Now, in 2020, while we as a community are taking our first steps into the new generation of gaming, I think it fair to take pause, gaze back, and remember some of the games that made the latest generation so memorable for so many.

2013

    2013 marked the start of the last-gen, with the release of both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. Both consoles were built to shepherd out their predecessors, marking leaps in visual fidelity and infrastructure that would empower them to become the monoliths of gaming that they hoped to be. I won't say that both consoles had an equally vibrant launch, but they both tried to put their best foot forward. While the Xbox was busy desperately trying to become the multimedia center for your living room, Sony kicked off the next generation in style, releasing a whole seven days earlier than its competitor. With the Xbox not far behind, both consoles brought a suite of new, shiny games to play. Well, in theory, anyway. I'm not here to speak of the quality of the launch lineups of either console, but what I can do is list off the game that stood out, and why it made it onto my list.

-Assassin's Creed Black Flag      Black Flag actually saw its initial release on the PS3 and Xbox 360 almost a month prior to the soon to be current generation, but with both new consoles came a second release, one that came equipped with all the bells and whistles you'd expect from what was then a next-gen game. It doesn't look good for my list to start things off on a technicality, but this game is worth it. Black Flag remains one of my top three Assassin's Creed Games, which is saying a lot considering the sheer scale of the franchise. Fresh off the love it or hate it Assassin's Creed III, Black Flag looked to take a revitalized approach to the franchise formula, playing off of fan feedback, expanding upon what fans loved from AC3, and adding in new activities and a broader, fresher open world to explore. In it, you play as Edward Kenway, a charming rogue of a pirate who kicks the game off by stealing the identity of a defected Assassin. Expecting nothing more than riches and glory, his masquerade instead goes quickly sour, thrusting Edward into the conspiracy filled, secretive world of the Assassin and Templar conflict. What makes this story stand out is how different Edward was as a protagonist, seeing him acting largely indifferent to the traditional formula the assassin's creed games had followed thus far. The game's setting also helped it immensely; the game plays more like a pirate simulator, seeing players sail the Caribbean searching out treasures and fame, gathering a sturdy ship and a hearty crew, engaging in thrilling naval battles, and basking in the warm glow of the sun-drenched sands that define the game's many islands. Along the way, you interact with a bevy of historical or mythical figures, such as Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Calico Jack, and many more. All of this came together to create an immensely satisfying game, a standout amidst its peers and predecessors, and an experience that still stands the test of time despite the numerous sequels it has received.

2014

    2014 was the year the new generation really started to pick up. The consoles had begun to get their footing, truly ushering in the next wave of quality games and proving their value to the players. Several critically acclaimed games got their start here or saw revitalized releases on the current generation of consoles. However, there were a few strays, games that elected to release on the prior consoles first and foremost, games that wouldn't see new-gen ports for some time, and others that never did, but still merited recognition and praise. But how many will make it onto my list? Well, you'll just have to read on.

-Titanfall     Titanfall was, for me, the first game on the Xbox One that truly cemented it as a worthy purchase. It was a melting pot of ideas and innovation that I immediately fell in love with. Built with an always-online principle, Titanfall sees players engaging in a pseudo-campaign of multiple, looping competitive matches. On the surface, you could easily glance Titanfall's way and see nothing remarkable. Another first-person shooter in a sea of competitors, all of whom had far more clout at the time. But what set Titanfall apart from the start was its dedication to movement, satisfying and fast-paced gunplay, and especially, robots. See, Titanfall's whole gimmick is this; players take on the role of Pilots, better than average soldiers of the far future who are deployed in times of conflict as superior ground troops, but more importantly, heavy artillery. As pilots perform well on the battlefield, they can call in the titular Titanfall, summoning their respective Titan to the fray. Titans are large, deadly mechs that can be piloted by the player to give them a distinct advantage in battle. What this translates to in gameplay is simple; as players make their way through matches, they build up a meter which when filled allows them to call down a massive robot to wreak havoc. Every player can do this, usually multiple times a match if they're good enough. Titans are fast, tough, and lethal, and fun as hell to control. But what kept the game balanced was the fact that titans weren't invincible. All players came equipped with anti-titan weaponry, alongside their usual loadout of rifles or handguns. This meant that anyone could take a titan down if they were savvy. The titans, coupled with the frantic movement and satisfying shooting, made Titanfall a one of a kind game. It's fitting, then, that the inevitable sequel would go on to improve on it in virtually every way, but that'll have to wait for later.

-Diablo 3     I will admit to not having played this in its initial release window, in fact, some years would pass before I finally picked it up on console during a sale. And though my time with it was quite belated, I would still consider it to be a genuinely fun game, one worthy of being on this list. In Diablo 3, players choose between seven classes; Wizard, Monk, Necromancer, Witch Doctor, Demon Hunter, Barbarian, or Crusader. From there, they are thrust into the demon-plagued land of Sanctuary, beginning their adventure in the town of New Tristram. Each class has a different backstory and a slightly different narrative throughout, but the core throughline is thus; you are sent to the village to investigate reports of a falling star, only to be swept up in a fight against hell and heaven itself for the fate of the world. In terms of game difficulty, the game sports an impressive twenty difficulty tiers; easy, normal, hard, master, and then sixteen levels of torment. Should players want an even greater challenge, there's also hardcore mode, which starts you off with permadeath: you get one life, no exceptions. Die, and the character is gone for good. Overall, I would say that Diablo's biggest strength is in its gameplay loop; Diablo plays like a top-down, hack and slash role-playing game, with players exploring the various levels in search of loot all the while battling hordes of enemies and leveling up, earning new abilities and skills that players can swap out to create their ideal builds. The core gameplay loop, while simple, is wildly addictive, with a massive loot pool to chase in an effort to grow ever stronger. Each class plays differently, but all of them are easy to learn. Diablo also supports local and online multiplayer, making it a great game to play with friends or family.

-Sunset Overdrive     Sunset Overdrive is a game I've previously covered on this blog before. In fact, I'd say I did such a good job that if you want to read about it, go read that article. But if you'd rather not click away, let me give you the TL;DR. Sunset overdrive is a satirical open world game made by Insomniac in which you play as a cocky and comedic hero out to save their city from a bogus energy drink that caused a pseudo-zombie outbreak. It's built around movement, with the player grinding on rails and running on walls and doing everything they can to stay mobile while gunning down the mutated enemies and exploring the environment. It's funny and feels great to play while being hampered by an underwhelming character creator and suite of customization options, but still manages to come out on top as an immensely satisfying game.

-Destiny     Destiny is the brainchild of one Bungie studios, the original creators of Halo, the next game on this list. Fresh off their amicable split from Microsoft, Bungie did what they did best; develop a truly great FPS. But this time, they added a twist; Destiny is equal parts Shooter, Looter, and MMO. It took these three core ingredients and mixed them together with gusto, delivering an immensely entertaining game that felt incredible to play both alone or with your friends. The story of destiny is a long one, but can be summarized simply; Some years in the future, Humanity met and allied with an alien being known as the Traveller, an alliance that heralded massive technological and social leaps, ushering in the new Golden Age of humanity. Unfortunately, the Traveller's natural enemies, The Darkness, attacked the solar system, destroying much, and whittling down the last survivors to a single safe city. In response, the Traveller created Guardians, reanimated protectors infused with the Traveller's power, tasked with defending the earth and all its colonies from the encroaching forces of evil that threaten this dwindling peace. Resurrected by a ghost, an emissary of the Traveller, you play as one of these Guardians; taking on the role of either the agile Hunter, the cosmically magical Warlock, or the strong and stalwart Titan. From there, you could either progress alone or join up with friends to take on the challenges of the solar system, pushing back the forces of darkness. Although lacking in longevity in its first outing, destiny was quickly expanded and iterated upon, turning it from an already impressive game to a true powerhouse and pillar of its genre.

-Halo: The Master Chief Collection     I won't pretend this started off as a flawless, perfect compilation of prior Halo games. But I love Halo, and I loved playing these games again, so it makes the list. Especially after all of the improvements and subsequent additions 343 made to the collection post-launch. On release, it featured Halo CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4, but has since gone on to include Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach as well. If you're unfamiliar, Halo is a staple franchise in the Xbox lineup, and the master chief collection sought to unify all of the prior releases under one umbrella for the newest console. Halo is a sci-fi FPS franchise, largely following the saga of the titular Master Chief Petty Officer, John-117. John, or Master Chief as he is more commonly called, is a Spartan; a supersoldier of the future, who fights to protect humanity from an alien collective dubbed The Covenant. In the first game, Master Chief crash lands on an alien ringworld known as Halo, which later turns out to be an ancient superweapon created to exterminate all sentient life in the galaxy. Subsequent games only build the stakes from there, seeing John stave off one intergalactic threat after another in a franchise that continues to satisfy time and again. What the Master Chief Collection does is bundle everything up in one convenient package, while simultaneously offering tweaks and improvements to complement the technological advancements of the new consoles. It offers local and online multiplayer, both for its story and its competitive modes. Overall, even with the flawed beginnings, I would consider The master chief collection a must-have for Xbox players.

-Grand Theft Auto V     Ah yes, GTAV, the game that refuses to die. Technically, this game released on the Xbox 360 and ps3, but it's been put on the PS4/XBO and now even the PS5 and the latest Xboxes too. I won't be surprised if this game gets ported to the consoles that come after that, too, in seven or so years. This game just won't quit. But that's also a testament to the dedication of its player base and the overall quality of the game itself. GTAV is an irreverent, biting joy of a game, replete with humor and charisma. It was, and remains, the latest in Rockstar's open-world crime franchise, in which players take on the role of not one, but three separate characters trying to make their way through life in Los Santos California; Michael, a retired crook stuck in the witness protection system, Michael's former, quite deranged partner Trevor, and rounding out the cast is Franklin, a street-savvy up and comer. Together they go about committing numerous heists, shady deals, and more than a few moments of mayhem in their quest for glory. Its secondary selling point was a robust and open-ended online mode, where players could create their own character and participate in myriad activities with and against their friends and strangers for fame, money, and clout. This is the mode that has kept GTA going in the years since its release, and it is the mode that has seen the most improvements and updates as well. I spent a not inconsiderable amount of time in it myself, but it was always the story of Michael, Trevor, and Franklin that drew me in overall.

-Tales from the Borderlands     Tales from the Borderlands is the only Telltale game I'm putting in this whole list. Not for lack of quality on the other games' parts, but simply because this one has to be my favorite. For those unfamiliar, Borderlands is a series of FPS games that take place far in the future on the fringes of space; the titular Borderlands. It follows a revolving door of ragtag Vault Hunters, people who go in search of mythical, alien "vaults" that are rumored to contain vast amounts of treasure. They are incredibly popular, addicting looter shooters that match satisfying gunplay with beautiful cell-shaded graphics, topped off with charming and funny characters and not too shabby storytelling. Telltale games, on the other hand, are traditional point and click adventure games, released in episodic formats and usually broken down into seasons. They focus on storytelling first and foremost, showcasing incredibly compelling narratives influenced by player choice. You'd think, then, that these two dichotomous formats wouldn't pair well together at all, but Tales from the Borderlands proves that sentiment is wildly false. Tales from the borderlands took what was great about previous telltale games, and matched it perfectly to an original tale set in the Borderlands universe. It weaves an incredibly compelling narrative, filled with equal parts humor and feeling, and manages to tell one of the best Borderlands stories to date.

2015

    I don't have a lot to say about 2015. The new generation was still going strong and saw some truly excellent games grace its shelves, many of whom are going to appear below.

-Bloodborne    2015 kicked off incredibly strong with Bloodborne, the latest instant classic from the studio behind the equally popular Dark Souls franchise. Bloodborne melds the skill-oriented, punishing combat and exploration heavy maps of the Souls games with an eldritch, psychological atmosphere, a match so perfect it went together like peanut butter and chocolate. To espouse the story of Bloodborne would be an effort in itself, but  I shall do my best to summarize it; Shirking the more medieval settings of the Souls games before it, Bloodborne sees players navigating the victorian gothic town of Yarnham, a city plagued by beasts and monsters. It is these monsters you are tasked with dispatching, taking on the role of a Hunter of Beasts, sent to cleanse the town of that which ails it. But not is all as it seems, and the beasts may not be the only monsters Yarnham has to offer. Outside of its interpretive yet incredibly strong narrative, Bloodborne offered equally polished gameplay, iterating on the previously mentioned combat from prior dark souls games to create a punishing yet wildly satisfying gameplay loop that was easy to learn yet hard to master. Bloodborne forced players to always be on their guard but gave them no shield or barrier with which to do so, believing that offense was the greatest defense, making success hinge on your willingness to fight and your skill in surviving the nightmares that Yarnham had to offer. A melding of horror, action, and exploration, Bloodborne was a true success, cementing itself for years to come as a top tier action-RPG, and saw countless fans that remain dedicated to it to this day.

-The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt     I'm going to be blunt; This is one of my favorite games of the last generation. It is a top tier RPG, made up of an incredibly charming cast of characters, a beautiful open world, and a thrilling, fantastical narrative that all come together to make one of the best games to release in the last seven years. Though a sequel to not only two prior games, but also a long line of books, The Witcher 3 was surprisingly friendly to newcomers, of which I was one at the time. Despite its pedigree, I felt right at home in the world of the Witcher, quickly picking up on what I had missed in its long and storied life. The Witcher 3 puts players in the role of Geralt of Rivia, the titular Witcher, a magically enhanced human tasked with routing out monsters that threaten the world of man. This time around, Geralt is searching for his ward, Ciri, as he navigates a world fraught with monsters and men in equal measure. what starts as a simple search for a missing friend quickly blossoms into an adventure for the fate of the world itself. Though a fantasy RPG at its heart, the witcher manages to tell some particularly grounded and human stories, and this game is no exception. One moment will see you stalking a beast out in the wild, the next will see you navigating political intrigue in the courts of royalty. But it all flows together to create one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and one that earned a not inconsiderable amount of well-deserved praise when it first debuted back in 2015.

-Assassin's Creed Syndicate     Hot off the heels of the muddied AC Unity, Syndicate was the last proper Assassin's Creed game before the franchise would experience a massive genre and gameplay shift in its next entry. Where Unity saw too much focus on graphics and not enough care anywhere else, Syndicate finely balances all of its parts to create an impressive experience overall. This time around, players get to visit London, at the tail end of its industrial revolution. Out goes flintlocks and swords, in came steam and steel. This entry sees players in the role of both Evie and Jacob Frye, siblings fresh off their induction into the Assassin Brotherhood, tasked with dispatching justice on their Templar foes across London. The setting isn't the only big change for this game, as Syndicate saw an overhaul in both visual quality, scale, and gameplay. London feels lived large and lived in, with plenty of ground to explore and streets filled with people going about their day-to-day. Missions are split between Jacob and Evie both, with some allowing you to pick and choose and others forcing you into the shoes of one or the other as they work together to clean up the city. It innovated on the traditional gameplay loop, with this game having you going from borough to borough, toppling its templar leaders and expanding your sphere of influence with the aid of historical figures like Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Nikola Tesla. These famous faces are not the only people lending the Fryes their helping hand, as Syndicate also put the Fryes in charge of their own street gang, a ragtag group of brawlers and scouts that would come to their aid at the press of a button. Most times, conquering a borough involved you and your gang scrapping it out with those of the templar order, dusting knuckles to see who got the final say in the control of the area. This may seem at odds with the traditionally stealth-oriented approach prior games focused on, but that side of the game was not neglected either. Assassination missions saw fine-tuning and innovation as well, with players able to plan out and partake in uniquely tailored kills that matched the locale and personality of their target, from disguising yourself as a scientific cadaver to kill a corrupt doctor to allying with a guard and feigning capture to infiltrate and kill a target in the Tower of London. The game saw improvements out of combat as well, with Syndicate receiving a large overhaul in its parkour movement and general navigation. The Frye twins come equipped with a grappling hook that allows for speedy travel across London's many rooftops, while ground travel was made all the more expedient with the inclusion of horse-drawn carriages. The general parkour itself was also tuned, allowing for freer player movement and tighter directional control. All of this to say, Syndicate saw some truly welcomed improvements, iterating on the legacy and creating a lasting impression that stands up as one of the better games of the franchise.

-Star Wars Battlefront     While I've spoken of a Battlefront on this blog before, this is not that same game. Rather, this is Battlefront 2015, a soft reboot to the previous Battlefront line of games for the new generation of consoles. This Star Wars Battlefront was helmed and developed by Dice, famed for the Battlefield franchise, a line of competent and entertaining military-focused first-person shooters. They were known for solid campaigns, but more importantly, massive scale competitive multiplayer modes. This pedigree is shown heavily in Battlefront, with the game sporting 64 players competitive multiplayer, with teams taking on the roles of either the empire or the rebellion as they fight their way through maps taken straight from the star wars universe, from the snowy plains of Hoth to the immense forests of Endor and everywhere in between. The game was replete with game modes and had the ability to be played in either first or third person. Players were given access to a modest selection of in-universe weaponry, and could even take the role of recognizable star wars heroes on occasion. Visually, the game was stunning, with incredibly faithful and detailed recreations from everything to weapons to the maps themselves. It felt like a genuine passion project, built from the ground up by competent developers and made for fans and first-timers alike. Battlefront, much like many games on this list, has since been usurped by a sequel but remains an incredibly competent shooter and a genuinely fun game to play.

2016

    While 2015 saw the release of some truly impressive games, 2016 was a genuine powerhouse of a year. It saw the rise to prominence of Virtual Reality, through the oculus rift and the PlayStation VR. 2016 also saw the first re-released console of the current generation, in the form of the Playstation 4 Pro, a trend that Xbox would follow as well, seeing the release of 2016's Xbox One S, and in 2017, the Xbox One X. These were touted as faster, better performing, better-looking consoles than their base model predecessors, offering several enhancements to graphical fidelity and console performance, running games even better than they already did. And with these new consoles came an all-star suite of excellent games, a multitude of instant classics from big-name studios and fresh indie developers alike. Many of the games that released this year are ones I've individually covered before, but they still deserve their spot in this article. So without further ado, here are some of the most noteworthy games of 2016.

-Oxenfree     Where Bloodborne was the standout hit that kicked off 2015, Oxenfree did the exact same thing for 2016. Developed by the California based indie team at Night School Studios, Oxenfree is a supernaturally infused, slice of life adventure game that follows Alex, a witty, rebellious, soon to be high school graduate as she makes her way to the fictional Edwards Island, accompanied by her best friend Ren and new stepbrother Jonah. This small group of friends is meeting up with what they assume will be a large group to have a weekend bash, But what was supposed to be a boisterous weekend party turns out to just be two extra guests; Clarissa, a fellow student who has ties to Alex, and Nona, a mild-mannered girl who just so happens to be Ren's current crush. Their modest get together quickly goes south when Alex uses a small handheld radio to tune into a weird signal emanating from the island, unleashing the spirits of a sunken military submarine, long since lost at sea. These wayward souls possess one of the kids and scatter the rest across the island, forcing Alex to uncover the mystery of their death and find a way to save her friends and escape the island. The game wears its inspirations on its sleeve, taking queues from classic ghost stories as much as it does retro coming of age stories, but it adapts these ideas masterfully. As for how it plays, Oxenfree is a side scrolling point and click adventure game, built around exploration and dialogue rather than complex game mechanics. It explores the interpersonal relationships between all the characters as much as it explores the haunted nature of the island itself. It easily shifts between these disparate tones, with a story filled with as many supernatural spooks as sarcastic teenage banter, seamlessly integrating player choice into the mix to create a truly excellent narrative. Oxenfree also features a high amount of replayability, with player choice going on to influence which of the game's many endings, as well as touting a new game plus mode that adds an extra smattering of content for your subsequent playthroughs. Oxenfree was a gift that kept on giving, more than earning its spot on this list.

-Firewatch     Firewatch is the first of several 2016 games I've previously written about, and while my opinion of it may have not been the highest initially, ruminating on it since has led me to a new appreciation of the time I spent with it. I would recommend reading my original review, but the short summary is thus; you play as Henry, a man on the run from his troubles who takes a job in the Shoshone national forest, keeping an eye on the wildlife and ensuring nothing is amiss. Your companion through the game is Delilah, a voice through your walkie talkie, somebody else who has taken the same job as you over in one of the adjacent watchtowers. Throughout the game you explore the forest, keeping the area safe while exploring the mysteries of the area you now inhabit, all the while developing a friendly relationship with Delilah as you go. It's a simple, but satisfying first-person adventure game, with an emotionally charged but comedic narrative about one man's journey to get lost and find himself.

-Stardew Valley     Stardew Valley is a retro-inspired simulator game about a down and out office worker who inherits their grandfather's farm in the titular Stardew Valley. They leave their mundane life behind and embark on a new journey in rural life, building up the farm from a rundown, untamed field into a bustling agricultural powerhouse, all the while making friends and forming bonds with the locals that you meet along the way. Stardew plays like a dream and features a stunning pixellated art style that complements its easygoing nature. Stardew is a game you can get lost in with ease, featuring an incredibly satisfying gameplay loop; It's a charmingly simple sim, one that encourages players to make their own way and their own choices, with a multitude of different ways to spend each in-game day. You're encouraged to play the game at your own pace, experiencing its range of content as it comes, rather than being railroaded into any one path for progression. It's a game that encourages exploration, diversity, and freedom, one that never really ends. Stardew made waves when it first came out for being such an open-ended, friendly experience, and it has since gone on to be heavily expanded upon by its developer, seeing releases on even more platforms and accruing even more fans along the way. It's a game that's easy to love and hard to put down, a comfort food game that makes you want to revisit it time and again.

-Titanfall 2     Where the original Titanfall was an excellent Xbox exclusive, Titanfall 2 bloomed the franchise into a multiplatform powerhouse. While it kept the excellent multiplayer modes, Titanfall 2's biggest change was the inclusion of a proper single-player story, and it's this inclusion that sees Titanfall 2 earn a place on my list. Titanfall 2's campaign is short, but sweet, seeing players take on the role of Jack Cooper, a pilot in training under the mentorship of an experienced soldier named Lastimosa. Unfortunately, on their first field mission, Lastimosa is killed, forcing Jack to embrace his future role as Pilot in an effort to survive and keep Lastimosa's experimental Titan out of enemy hands. This Titan, given the codename BT, is unique among Titans in that it can freely equip the various titan weapons and abilities, while simultaneously having an expanded AI that allows it to perform better in combat than its contemporaries. Together, Jack and BT make their way through the Frontier, coming into conflict with the varied enemy forces that they were originally sent in to stop. The campaign is brief, but what it lacks in lengths it makes up for in entertainment; the banter between Jack and BT makes for some great dialogue, and the campaign is perfectly built around the shooting and movement tech that made the first Titanfall so distinct, creating a series of levels that are just as built around gunfights as they are around precise first-person platforming. The game's environments are also beautiful to look at, varying from gritty industrial complexes to lush jungle environments that are as nice to look at as they are to maneuver through. Accompanying the stellar story mode is the recurring suite of multiplayer offerings, all of which have been upgraded and improved upon to complement the innovations of the sequel. Where Titanfall was good, Titanfall 2 is great, and it's a continual shame the series hasn't been given more time to shine.

-The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Special Edition     This is another game that I've previously covered on my blog, and it's also another technicality. See, Skyrim technically released back in 2011 but saw so many re-releases in the years afterward that at this point the only device that doesn't natively play it are phones. With this particular re-release, Bethesda sought to give console players the same quality of life changes that PC players had been seeing for years, namely graphical improvements, stability patches, and most importantly, player-created content. Skyrim had developed a bustling and dedicated community of creators in its years since release, all of whom had made countless mods for the game that ranged anywhere from simple tweaks to full-on expansion sized stories, and the special edition release marked the first time Xbox and Playstation fans could get their hands on this library of unique content. It created a situation where the already hefty game could be made all the more robust with fan contributions. Don't like the music? Download one of the unique music packs somebody put together. Want any number of pop culture-inspired items? Looking for some new quests to spice up this five-year-old game? It's all there and more.

-Watch Dogs 2     You might be wondering why I've put Watch Dogs 2 on this list while its predecessor is nowhere to be found. While the first Watch Dogs was a middling revenge story that happened to incorporate some neat hacking based features, Watch Dogs 2 is where the franchise really found itself. It follows the story of one Marcus Holloway, a bright and witty young man who's been framed for a crime he didn't commit by a faulty surveillance network that monitors the city of Los Angeles in a pseudo-dystopic future not so removed from our own. So Marcus does what he does best, hacks into the network and removes himself from it entirely, embarking on a campaign to take the whole system down with the help of white hat hacker collective Deadsec. What sets this game apart from its predecessor is the charisma of its cast and the far more varied ways in which you can use the game's technology to your advantage. Hijack cameras, remote control vehicles, manipulate streetlights, the world of Watch Dogs 2 is yours to manipulate all at the press of a button. And if hacking doesn't get you where you need to be, Marcus has some skills of his own; he's particularly skilled at parkour and quite handy at non-lethally dispatching foes with a weapon of his own design, a billiard ball attached to a bungee cord. And if playing non-lethally isn't your thing, you can also accumulate quite the arsenal of homemade weaponry, all 3D printed from the base of your hacker collective. Watch Dogs 2 is a game about a group of people trying to take down a corrupt system using whatever means they can. It's a witty, satirical, but surprisingly grounded story told across a beautiful open-world recreation of Los Angeles, one that drew me in far more than its predecessor ever managed to do.

2017

    2017 might not have had the same pedigree of games as its predecessor, but it did see the belated release of the latest current-gen console; The Nintendo Switch. A revolutionary step up from the Wii and Wii U, The Switch took the gaming world by storm thanks to its ability to seamlessly transition from a home console playing on your TV to a handheld console able to go with you anywhere. The Switch remains a staple of the console market to this day, easily standing tall next to the Playstation and Xbox consoles both new and old. Aside from the Switch, there was still a healthy collection of games for people to enjoy, some of which will be highlighted below.

-Night in the Woods     Night in the Woods marks yet another game I've personally reviewed, and also stands proud as one of my absolute favorites of this generation. A humble offering from indie studio Infinite Fall, it was a gorgeously animated sidescroller of an adventure game that followed college dropout Mae Borowski as she returns to her small home town of Possum Springs to rekindle old friendships and reconnect with her family. Despite its anthropomorphic cast, it tells a genuinely human story, one that perfectly reflected what it feels like to revisit old haunts; how things can be so familiar yet change so much, seamlessly blending an emotionally charged narrative with a dark, suspenseful hometown mystery. Night in the Woods remains an absolutely incredible game to experience, showcasing themes like mental illness, sexuality, and identity through the lens of youthful wit and clever, dry sarcasm. I haven't played many truly perfect games, but Night in the Woods came damned close to being one.

-Kingdom Hearts 1.5/2.5     Ah yes, another collection of re-releases. Kingdom Hearts technically started back on the PS2, with the release of Kingdom Hearts 1. From there it blossomed into an incredibly diverse and lengthy franchise that saw releases on consoles and handhelds alike, from the PS2 to the Gameboy Advance. What these re-releases did was bundle all of the Kingdom Hearts games into one complete package, and tossed them all onto the PlayStation 4. It created a cohesive collection for this storied saga and presented it all in an easy to follow order that anyone could pick up and work through. Both games also offered the previously exclusive Final Mix content to the west for the first time, expanding on the already hefty games with more difficulty options, more enemies, more story content, and more challenges to keep the fun going and going. But what is Kingdom Hearts, I hear some people ask. Kingdom hearts is a series of action RPGs that follow the adventures of heroes known as Keyblade Wielders as they fight against the forces of darkness that threaten the worlds beyond. They play great, feature an especially enjoyable cast of characters, and tells a heartwarming story of good and evil. A joint project between Square Enix and Disney, Kingdom Hearts features an abundance of Disney characters and worlds, crossing over with various Square Enix properties in this epic struggle against light and dark. That's the easiest summary of the story by far, as delving any deeper would almost certainly confuse the casual reader, but let me say this; The Kingdom Hearts games are fantastic, well worth the time, and with these remastered collections, more approachable than ever.

-Nier Automata     Nier Automata is a tough game to talk about in-depth, on account of just how easy it is to spoil for people who haven't experienced it. But it was also one of my favorite games of 2017, so I'll do my best to give it its due. Nier Automata is somewhat of a hybrid game; it blends so many genres together but somehow manages to do each one of them justice. Equal parts open world, action RPG, Bullet Hell, and more, Nier Automata takes place in the far, far future, in the ruins of earth. Humanity has long since abandoned the planet and sought shelter on the moon, entrusting a group of humanoid androids to defend the planet from an encroaching alien threat. The story follows several of these androids; 2B, 9S, and A2, as they wander the ruins of humanity and fight back against the robot foes that the aliens use as soldiers. It tells an amazing story that all but demands subsequent replays to get the full breadth of its narrative weight across, with each subsequent playthrough seen through the eyes of one of the other characters. Equal parts sci-fi story and humanist breakdown, Nier Automata is a deconstructive, philosophical pondering wrapped in the guise of an anime action game. That's not to say it doesn't wear the disguise well; Nier Automata plays like a dream, with stylish combat and an accompanying score that makes for easy listening both in and out of the game. It's another must-play, especially with the remake/remaster of its predecessor soon to release in 2021.

-Persona 5/Persona 5 Royal     Persona 5 is an absolute joy of an RPG. It's slick, stylish, has a superb soundtrack, and tells a top tier story to boot. You take the role of a down-and-out high school kid who's been forced to transfer from his hometown in the countryside to Tokyo, thanks to a bogus police incident. Labeled a criminal and looked down on by the adults of his new school, the protagonist goes about bettering himself, raising his grades, and making the most of his new life in a new city. He forms bonds and relationships with the people around him, making fast friends with many of his classmates and even some chill adults along the way. Oh, he can also use a supernatural phone app to dive into the corrupted hearts of society, utilizing a special power to battle the evils that lie within and force them to change their ways and confess their deeds. Herein lies the dichotomy of the Persona 5; Much like the other Persona games that preceded it, the story it tells is a hybrid of supernatural mystery and coming of age drama, blending mundane highschool life with a fantasy adventure. It is equal parts life simulator and stylish role-playing game, as you and your friends do their best to repair a broken system using the fantastical powers they've been imbued with. These powers are the titular Persona, powerful creatures that embody the sides of ourselves we keep hidden behind the masks of society. These personas allow one to do battle with the shadows that lurk within these corrupted hearts, creatures that take on myriad forms inspired by religion and myth. Wielding this power, they embark on a journey of social reform, fighting a revolving door of less than scrupulous individuals that all culminating in a battle to change society itself. In spite of its overtly fantastical elements, the story it tells is decidedly grounded and surprisingly relatable; at its core, Persona 5 is about a collective of disenfranchised individuals trying their best to make it through life and change things for the better, a story that was and remains especially poignant and a welcomed escapist fantasy to fall into time and again.

-Slime Rancher     Slime Rancher is an adorable simulator game and one I've praised before on my blog. It blends first-person shooter elements with the farming simulator genre, tasking players to manage and explore a planet on the fringes of space that's almost entirely populated by a race of creatures known as Slime. Slimes come in a varied selection of types and sizes, but all of them have one universal similarity; they all produce a resource known as a Plort that you can trade to an intergalactic trade center for currency, which in turn allows you to upgrade your slime farm and expand into new territories. The gameplay loop is nothing but fun, with each new expansion bringing in new species of slime that you can wrangle and combine to make hybrids that in turn create more valuable plorts. As you make your way through the planet, you start uncovering logs left behind by your farm's prior owner, that weave a narrative of love and loss, a story that drives you forward in your quest if only to see how it concludes. You're not alone in this quest, though, as you have your slimes for company as well as several long-distance conversations via the computer in your home between friends and fellow farmers alike. Subsequent game updates have only expanded upon the experience, seeing new opportunities for trade, daily activities, and more, making an already invigorating and enjoyable game all the more so.

-Destiny 2     It's no secret that Destiny 2 had a complicated launch window. Many fans felt that Destiny 2 left too much of what made its predecessor great on the cutting room floor, electing instead to reset the player base back to zero and tell a brand new story. While I missed some of what Destiny 2 left behind, I was still somebody who found a lot of joy in Destiny 2, as evidenced by the thousand-plus hour count it tells me I've poured into it since its 2017 release. The game has also seen countless improvements and additions in the years since its release, adopting a new seasonal model and even going free to play after a point. Most recently, Destiny 2 saw the release of Beyond Light, the first in a new trilogy of expansions that hopes to continue the game forward over the next few years. So, while it might have had a rough start, it still remains destiny at its core, making it one of the best shooters on the market, coupled with a satisfying loot hunt and a rewarding structure that continues to keep its fans coming back for more. That alone lands it in my list of games for 2017, and the generation as a whole.

-The Sims 4    Though this game technically saw the light of day back in 2014, I didn't end up playing it until its console release here in 2017. Thus, I place it here. There isn't a lot of complication with Sims 4. If you're at all familiar with its predecessors, you know exactly what to expect. An engaging simulator game, in which you craft an individual or family and set them on the path of life, influencing them as they go or leaving them to their own fates so as to see what happens. You tailor their looks, personality, aesthetic...it's a premier example of micromanagement as entertainment. This installment shirked some of the advancements made by its predecessor but still manages to be a robust and enjoyable game all on its own, made all the better by continued additional content releases in the years since its premiere. It's a game that keeps on giving and seems primed to continue doing so for some time yet.

2018

    2018 saw the release of some genuinely top-shelf games, with the Switch continuing to establish itself against its contemporaries, while the Playstation continued to add excellent exclusives to its lineup.

-Far Cry 5     The Far Cry games have always been known for being competent shooters with large open worlds, and this one is no exception. Shirking the usual foreign locales, Far Cry 5 takes place a lot closer to home, seeing players cleaning up the rural backwoods of Montana, taking place in the fictional Hope County. In it, you play as a rookie cop sent in to apprehend an evangelical doomsday cultist; John Seed, The Father. This arrest quickly goes south, leaving you as the last lawman willing to stand up to the Seed family and free Hope County from their grasp. To do so, you systematically break the hold of his lieutenants, dismantling their bases of operations and taking down his associates in a slow climb to face him once more. Along the way you make friends and allies out of the locals, people with a similar drive to rise up and clean up their county. As far as the gameplay, Far Cry 5 is a mix of FPS and RPG elements, with a rudimentary character customization system and plenty of powerful guns to acquire. You level up and earn skills that augment your preferred style of play, be it stealthy or over the top, all in your pursuit of justice. Augmenting this quest is the world it takes place in, with players exploring lush forests, vibrant fields, and the general detritus of rural America. Hope county feels real, with looks to match, despite its farcical tone and over the top gameplay. All of this came together to make a Far Cry that felt fresh and fun, a genuine step forward for the franchise.

-God of War     Prior games in the God of War series were not known for subtlety, nuance, or humanity. Rather, they were violent hack and slash games that featured the titular God of War, Kratos, seeking and exacting bloody revenge on the greek pantheon for their slights against him and his family. They were by no means bad games, but they weren't what I would consider masterpieces either. Then, we were given God of War (2017). This soft reboot/Sequel for the franchise saw Kratos embarking on a distinctly more grounded story than its predecessors, navigating the perils of fatherhood while on a journey to deliver his late wife's ashes in the world of the Norse Pantheon. He is joined by his son, Atreus, a bright but rebellious young boy who seeks only to prove his worth to the gruff and distant Kratos. This more human story is accompanied by a more grounded approach to combat and gameplay; while it retains the emphasis on action, it feels more deliberate than prior entries, shifting the combat style from the hack and slash nature to a more measured approach, with players needing to conserve stamina and plan their attacks lest they get easily overwhelmed. The game also incorporates a more open world structure than its predecessors, seeing Kratos and his son freely traversing their environment, unlocking shortcuts, and finding means to double back on past areas in a level progression that feels more like a Souls game than the God of Wars of old. All of this came together to make a game that felt genuinely innovative, a fresh new direction for a pre-established franchise that was as welcoming to newcomers as it was to prior fans.

-Donut County     Donut County is a silly, short indie puzzle game in which you play as a mischievous raccoon delivering "donuts" to the unsuspecting populous around him. These donuts are, in fact, large sinkholes that expand as they eat different objects, eventually growing to swallow the entirety of the lot they were sent to. The core gameplay lies in this concept, with you controlling the various sinkholes from level to level, figuring out the order in which to consume the various objects on each map in order to grow in size. As the game progresses you unlock various upgrades to these sinkholes, like the ability to spit things out of them, adding new layers to the simple puzzles the game encapsulates. It isn't a terribly long game, as already said, only taking an hour or two to finish, but it cemented itself as a charming indie game amidst a sea of big-name titles.

-Marvel's Spider-Man     Developed by Insomniac, previously mentioned in the Sunset Overdrive excerpt, Marvel's Spider-Man is a rare example of a genuinely amazing superhero game. In it, players take on the role of Peter Parker, a Spider-Man who has already established himself as the hero we know and love, but one that still has room to grow and learn. What starts off as a triumphant takedown of one Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, soon blossoms into a complicated web that involves a shady group known as the Demons that Spider-Man must stop from wreaking havoc on the city. But the game isn't just about the Heroics of Spider-Man; The Game showcases the best aspects of Peter's character, splitting the game equally between his time as Spider-Man and his normal life as Peter Parker, a scientist working under the apprenticeship of one Otto Octavius, while simultaneously working with his Aunt May at the local Homeless Shelter and trying to rekindle his forlorn relationship with Mary Jane. All of this unfurls simultaneously, weaving a web that melds incredible movement with fast and stylish combat, stellar characters, and a heartwarming tale, cementing itself not only as a great game but also as one of the best Spider-Man stories out there.

-The Missing: JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories     The Missing is a heartfelt, down to earth story told through the lens of a grisly but goofy premise. In it, you play as the titular JJ Macfield, a young girl who goes on a trip with her close friend Emily to a remote island off the coast of Maine. What is supposed to be a fun excursion takes a turn for the worse, as Emily goes missing, leaving JJ to track her down. Unfortunately, this quest quickly leads JJ to her death...but not for long. Resurrected by a bolt of lightning, JJ gains the ability to remove various parts of her body, as the island quickly goes from an idyllic wonderland to a psychedelic nightmare. Undeterred, JJ uses her newfound ability to traverse the island, ever searching for her lost friend. The Missing might sound like a horror game on paper, but it uses these macabre themes to tell a distinctly grounded story about dealing with personal identity and navigating a hostile and unfamiliar world, culminating in a heartbreakingly bittersweet twist that I won't spoil here. This is all to say; the Missing is an excellent game. It's a joy to play, despite its harrowing content, and it manages to convey its themes in a way that feels genuine and meaningful, telling a story that's still relevant to this day.

-Super Smash Brothers Ultimate     Smash games have always been good, and Ultimate more than earns its moniker. This is the Ultimate Smash game; iterating on its predecessors without changing anything for the worst, Ultimate is an unabashed love letter to the series as a whole, incorporating every character and every map from every prior game all in one upgraded package. If you don't know what Smash is, let me explain; Nintendo is known for a lot of fantastic first-party titles, from Mario to Kirby to Metroid, and countless others. Smash takes all of these well-loved characters, throws them in an arena, and has them fight for supremacy. Debuting on the Nintendo 64, Smash has seen one major game release for every Nintendo console since, culminating in Smash Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch. As earlier stated, it features an absolutely enormous roster of playable characters, featuring every fighter from the previous games and several new additions for good measure. This roster was only further expanded with the release of the fighter passes, seeing an additional eleven fighters across the two that have thus far been released, ranging from surprise hits like Persona 5's Joker to fan favorites like Banjo and Kazooie. While not featuring a traditional story mode, Ultimate makes good use of its characters in a suite of different game modes that can be played both alone or with friends, online or locally. It's a fantastic party game and an equally praiseworthy fighter, rewarding skilled play but catering to casual players and newcomers alike.

2019

    2019 marked the slowdown for the current generation, shadowed by the whispers of a new age of consoles. This made for a simple year for games, but one no less stacked with noteworthy games and worthwhile experiences.

-Kingdom Hearts 3     After years of waiting, 2019 finally saw the release of Kingdom Hearts 3. The wait might have been long, but the game delivered on the hype, simultaneously closing out the narrative arc that had begun so long ago with Kingdom Hearts 1 and beginning a new chapter for fans to look forward to. In service of this goal, Kingdom Hearts 3 wrapped up the majority of dangling storylines from all the previous games, while still leaving a handful of mysteries to chase into the future of the franchise. It featured a new suite of Disney worlds to explore, and incorporated Pixar properties for the first time in franchise history. The new content accompanied refined and polished gameplay mechanics and a complete visual overhaul, while still retaining the heart and soul that defined the games thus far. It all came together well enough but was later expanded upon through the release of Re: Mind, the game's beefy expansion that rebalanced gameplay and added in hours of new story content to better cap off the story. All told, Kingdom Hearts 3 was another great game, building on a legacy that seems like it will continue well into the future.

-Devil May Cry 5     For those not in the know, Devil May Cry is a series of games that follow the life of Dante, a half-demon sword for hire as he does his best to kill monsters and eat pizza. It's a franchise known for skillful, precise, stylish combat mixed with goofy, over the top stories, usually involving Dante and his associates contending with the fallout of his family, the demon king Sparda and his brother Vergil. While not a flawless franchise, it saw several excellent releases over the years, but then went depressingly dormant. Devil May Cry 5 was the perpetual waiting game, but 2019 saw it finally come out, accompanied by mass acclaim and praise. it really seemed like all the years of waiting were well rewarded. DMCV features three playable characters; Nero, a fellow demon hunter first introduced in Devil May Cry 4, Dante, the series' staple protagonist, and lastly the mysterious V, a newly introduced character for this game. Together the three were tasked with working together to take down the demonic Qliphoth and its master, Urizen, an immensely powerful demon lord. The game looks gorgeous, marking the first time the games have looked truly next-gen. Accompanying this boost in visual fidelity is the franchise's staple; combat was finely tuned to be more stylish than ever, with each character having a variety of tricks at their disposal to dispatch the demon hoard that stood between them and Urizen. Devil May Cry was back, and it was better than ever.

-Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night     Bloodstained is the spiritual successor to the Castlevania series, helmed by its most prominent contributor Koji Igarashi. Starting its life as nothing more than a simple Kickstarter, it blew through its funding goal and a few years later saw its release on the current generation of consoles.  It's not a particularly complicated game, but it is particularly fun, with it adapting many of the staples that made Castlevania so great. As a spiritual successor to Castlevania, the games play very similarly; both are side scrolling hack and slash games that take place in fantastical gothic castles, and both see protagonists with varied combat and magical aptitude on their quest to take down the castle's owner. In the case of Castlevania, that owner is Dracula, but in the case of Bloodstained, players are tasked with defeating Gebel, an alchemically modified human known as a Shardbinder. You play as another one of these Shardbinders, Miriam. Miriam and Gebel are the lone survivors of an alchemical experiment that gave them the ability to wield a power called shards, crystalline embodiments of demonic essence. The narrative is simple, but the gameplay is where it shines; as players progress through Gebel's castle, you can accumulate more and more shards, all of which give Miriam access to new abilities, abilities that go on to aid her in her continued exploration. This creates a very satisfying loop; explore the castle, collect shards, unlock more of the castle to explore. Augmenting her shards are a suite of craftable and upgradeable weaponry, a selection of melee and firearms that allows players to diversify their preferred playstyle and experiment with what works best in any given situation. Subsequent content additions have added even more to the game, in the form of new modes, difficulties, and playable characters, adding to the replayability and longevity of what was already an excellent experience. Despite starting from simple roots, Bloodstained rose up and became something all on its own, paying homage to its inspirations while cementing a name for itself as a new staple of the genre.

-Catherine Full Body     While originally releasing in 2011, 2019 saw an expanded re-release complete with new characters, new stages, and hours of extra story content. At its core, Catherine and its Full Body re-release are unique gems in the gaming world. One part puzzle game, one part dating simulator, it blends the complicated world of relationships with macabre block puzzles, all the while weaving a beautiful tapestry about one man's quest for love. In it, you take the role of Vincent Brooks, an unambitious 30-something simply going through the motions of life. He has a steady relationship and a stable job, a group of colorful and enthusiastic friends, but it's clear from the start just how much he's stagnated. His current girlfriend, Katherine, is starting to ask the big questions; marriage, children, their future. Unable to parse these ideas, he loses himself in his time at the local bar with his pals, shooting the shit and getting sloshed. That is, until, a new flame suddenly appears; the seductive temptress Catherine. One thing leads to another, and it comes to pass that they spend the night together...maybe. This is where the game's narrative really kicks off, with Vincent having to navigate the day to day, attempting to reconcile his long-time love with his possible new fling. This story is juxtaposed against the game's core gameplay loop, which sees Vincent forced to climb the deadly tower of babel each night in his dreams. To do this, players must stack blocks and avoid the perils and traps that each stage presents, making a mad dash to the top of the tower before the bottom collapses in on itself and Vincent plummets to his doom. For you see, this isn't an ordinary dream; if you die on the tower, you die in real life, making this desperate ascent a race for his very life. Each stage of the tower represents the game's various core themes, and each gets more and more complicated as the game progresses. In the interim of these climbs, players are set about answering multiple-choice inquiries that influence the direction of Vincent's relationships, with each answer adjusting a conspicuous morality meter that eventually comes to determine which of the 8 endings you could attain. With Full Body, this number was increased to 13, to adjust for the inclusion of a new paramour; Rin, a mysterious piano player that sets up shop in Vincent's favorite bar. Both Catherine and its Full Body re-release are excellent games, but I was especially smitten with the layers of extra content and story that Full Body brought to the table, additions that made Full Body one of my favorite games of 2019.

-Untitled Goose Game     Untitled goose game is a simple premise on paper; players take on the role of an ornery, mischievous goose as it wreaks havoc through a small English town. Equal parts puzzle and stealth game, the goose has a laundry list of tasks it seeks to complete, from stealing hats off people's heads to infiltrating the local pub. It's not a long game by any means, but it has a ton of replayability in the form of additional tasks and challenges that only present themselves after your first playthrough. These range from time-based completions to additional bouts of mischief and all of them are incredibly satisfying to chase down. Untitled Goose Game has a quaint, painterly art style that compliments the charming simplicity of the game's premise, accompanied by a dynamic, classically-toned score that rises and falls in prominence as you go about your goosely business. All said Untitled Goose Game is a genuine treat, a brief but whimsical game that's just about having fun and goofing around.

2020

    It's no secret that 2020 has been a rough year for a lot of folks. Between a pandemic, political controversy, and general drudgery, it's a year that feels like it can't end soon enough. But in spite of it all, 2020 was also a fantastic year for games. Serving as the last hurrah for the Xbox One and Playstation 4, we saw the release of some truly excellent stories that kept players going through the long months of an otherwise mediocre year.

-Animal Crossing: New Horizons     Releasing right at the start of widespread quarantine, New Horizons supplied people with something they couldn't easily do in their own lives; escape. Animal Crossing New Horizons is the perfect escapist fantasy for the year it released in, seeing players partaking in an island getaway in the hopes of colonizing and forming an idyllic town on an untamed paradise.  At their core, the animal crossing games are simple simulators. You create your character by selecting a few presets; hair, eyes, skin color, and then you're let free to explore your new locale. With this latest release, that locale is the aforementioned island, a small paradise in the sea dotted by trees and rivers, accented by flowers and weeds. You start your life on this new Island with a handful of other residents; the Nook Family, the proprietors of this island venture, and two random villagers who are looking to make a life on this island the same as you. Things start small, with everyone working together to set up tents and create a bonfire and find some food for a welcome party. Afterward, the game synchronizes itself to your console's date and time and sets you off on your way. Unlike other simulators on this list, Animal Crossing is a unique breed, running concurrently to the real world, continuously progressing in real-time. Flowers grow, trees produce fruit, and each day is a new adventure. It follows the general turn of the seasons for your respective hemisphere, celebrating holidays and alternating available activities with each passing day. As for what you can do yourself, the opportunities are legion; you can catch bugs, go fishing, search for fossils, chat up your villagers, visit other islands, and much more. As you progress, more ventures open their doors to you; catch enough bugs and fish, and you can elect to have a museum built to showcase your finds. Collect enough resources, and you can build new furniture and create plots of land that encourage more villagers to come and move to your island. Everything you do is in service of continued growth, but also serves just as simple fun, a charming, easygoing distraction from the concerns of the day-to-day.

-Final Fantasy VII Remake     The Final Fantasy franchise is a long and storied one, replete with highs and lows. One such high was 1997's Final Fantasy 7, a game that quickly cemented itself as a fan favorite and an absolute classic. Now, in 2020, FF7 is back...sort of. See, FF7 Remake is the first in a line of games that will eventually go on to tell the entirety of the original FF7's story, which means that this release is only the first portion of a much larger narrative. Adapting what was originally the first few hours of the original game, FF7 Remake expands upon the opening section of its predecessor, simultaneously remaking the old content for modern audiences and adding in new aspects for old fans. FF7 Remake improves upon the original in practically every way, serving as a genuine remake that still manages to retain what made that original game so memorable and important to fans. The game might be new, but the heart is the same; FF7 Remake follows the story of Cloud Strife, an ex SOLDIER turned mercenary hired by an eclectic group known as Avalanche to dismantle a local power plant that's poisoning the planet. What starts as a well-intentioned but extreme case of eco-terrorism quickly explodes (pun intended) into a much larger story that sees Cloud and Avalanche bringing the fight straight to the corrupt Shinra Corporation and beyond, culminating in a battle against fate itself. Because this remake only covers a portion of what will go on to be a much larger narrative, it only scratches the surface of what makes the original FF7 so great, but it does so with gusto; the game plays and looks better than ever, bringing with it a heartfelt and compelling narrative that keeps you hooked the whole way through.

-Minecraft Dungeons     Minecraft Dungeons takes the charming, voxel visuals and world of Minecraft and melds them seamlessly with a charming, easygoing dungeon crawler that's approachable for casual and experienced gamers alike. Where Minecraft is an open-ended sandbox game about building and exploring a blocky world, Minecraft Dungeons sees a collective of heroes on a quest to defeat the evil Illager, a powerful sorcerer whose armies have been sweeping the land leaving destruction in their wake. It's not a very complicated story about good and evil, but it doesn't have to be; Minecraft Dungeons prioritizes it's simple and easy to master gameplay first and foremost. You collect loot, battle recognizable Minecraft enemies, and progress through a litany of stages on your way to fight the big bad. It's not very long but encourages you to play it time and again, collecting better gear and trying your hand at the many difficulty levels for additional challenges. It's not the best looking or the best playing game that released this year, but it had heart and made for a short and entertaining way to pass the time.

-Ghost of Tsushima    Ghost of Tsushima isn't a game to scoff at. One of the best looking games of the generation, this PS4 exclusive is one part historical timepiece, one part action-adventure, and one part stealth game. It follows the story of Jin Sakai, a samurai and one of the last survivors of the Mongol invasion of his home island of Tsushima, Japan. Left to die, he is found and nursed back to health by a wayward thief who teaches Jin the art of stealth and subterfuge, seeing him off on his quest for bloody revenge on the Mongol invaders that have encroached upon his homeland. To do this, he must first build up a fighting force of equal minded, skilled warriors, all while dismantling the various camps and operations the Mongols have set up in the absence of the defeated Samurai army. Jin can approach this in one of two ways; relying on his prowess as a formidable Samurai, Jin can challenge the many enemies in the game to flashy yet precise sword combat, or he can utilize the recently learned skills of stealth, infiltrating their encampments and silently picking the Mongols off one by one. There's no wrong answer to how you choose to play, although it takes some time for Jin to accept his new roles as both Samurai and assassin. Both methods of play feel equally as stellar, too; Combat in this game is incredibly polished, finely tuned swordplay that focuses on timing and well-planned strikes to dispatch your foes with ease, while the stealth feels tense and requires a distinctly tactical approach, planning your routes and cleverly dispatching foes so as to not raise suspicion. But the game isn't just about taking out your enemies. Ghost of Tsushima boasts one of the most beautiful open worlds I've ever experienced, a vibrant and gorgeous landscape dotted with myriad activities and side quests for you to explore and enjoy. One moment, you could be doing battle with a wayward group of Mongols or bandits, while the next could see you tracking a friendly fox to a shrine, composing a haiku in the shadow of a large tree, or recuperating your strength at a small hot spring while you ruminate on your adventures thus far. Ghost of Tsushima is an incredibly varied game, alternating between intense highs and calming lows, all coming together to become one of the best games of the last generation.

-Spiritfarer     While I have not finished this game, it more than deserves recognition on this list. In it, you play as Stella, a young girl who takes over as the ferryman for the River Styx once Charon retires to the afterlife, tasked with providing for the wayward souls who live on the river as you ferry them to their final rest. To do this, Stella must collect various resources and build up her ship, outfitting it with living spaces and various commodities tailored to her current passengers. These aforementioned passengers will, in turn, begin to open up to Stella, tasking her with making certain foods or visiting different locales, all in an effort to give these wayward souls a proper farewell on their trip to the afterlife. Spiritfarer is a simple simulator game about resource management and exploration that showcases a lovely, genuinely heartfelt story about love and loss, one that will put a smile on your face as easily as it brings a tear to your eye.

     I've been playing numerous games in recent months, but this one is something special. In short, I am head over heels with the newly released beta for UpstreamArcade's West of Dead. For those unfamiliar, as many may be; West of Dead is an in-development Twin Stick Shooter set in 1888, in a wild west themed purgatory somewhere in Wyoming. Players take the role of William Mason, a skeletal bounty hunter/gunslinger who bears a distinct resemblance to a certain Marvel Comics hero, voiced by film and voice star Ron Pearlman. The demo is a brief but wholly satisfying vertical slice, a perfect introduction to what the game will eventually become upon release.

     You awaken inside a dusty, shadowy saloon, a lone barkeep polishing a glass at the counter. The saloon is small, simple, but immediately sets the tone for the rest of the beta. Players get to soak up the exquisitely crafted visuals that Purgatory has to offer in a safe, combat-free location. Pitch black shadows clash with a smattering of candles and lanterns, the shifting colors creating a satisfying contrast while also highlighting the aforementioned barkeep. Choosing to speak to him nets players a helping of expository dialogue, before you're sent on your way. Proceeding out of the saloon, William comes to a short hall, just as shadowed as the bar. A flickering lamp hangs from the ceiling, ready to be ignited, ready to reveal the true price of this room; the first two guns William can procure. The weapons you find here are very much random; there could be a simple revolver holding four bullets, a decrepit but powerful flintlock, an old but sturdy shotgun, or a decrepit musket. While there may be more in the full release, these are the four firearms I've come across in all the beta runs I've completed, at least initially. Once you acquire your weapons, it's out the door and onwards into Purgatory.

     The beta only holds one floor, but each run will net you a different layout thanks to the procedurally generated nature of the game as a whole. One run could be entirely linear, seeing William run from room to room, gunning down souls until he reaches the end. Other times, you might find branching paths, with one leading to more enemies while the other leads to a cache of currency. While there's no shop in the beta, players still harvest two types of material from defeated enemies and wayward crates; Iron and Souls. How these will be implemented remains to be seen, but my bet's on an Enter the Gungeon style shop system, perhaps adding new weapons or new features to future runs through Purgatory. On the subject of new weapons, players have a chance to find several powerful tools as they progress through the deary yet charming halls, ranging from stronger firearms to sticks of dynamite or a sturdy hand axe. These tools, or William himself, can be further enhanced by randomly spawning upgrade points, which take the form of glowing green totems tucked away in the corners of rooms. While few and far between, interacting with these can net William better gun damage, faster item reloads, or extra health, all of which are quite handy to have despite the brevity of any one run.

     Gameplay-wise, West of Dead handles like a dream. The controls are light and snappy with fluid movement and an easy to learn gameplay loop that does not fail to impress. Paired with the competent and well-orchestrated gunplay, William has a certain mobility about him. While the enemies are middling in their movement speed, William is just fast enough to outmaneuver them, but not so fast as to run laps around his competition. Coupled with his normal walk cycle, William comes equipped with an extremely satisfying dodge mechanic. When executed normally, William will do an omnidirectional roll, allowing you to flee a tricky situation or dodge incoming fire. When executed near cover, William will slide towards whichever barrier is closest, ducking into cover and staying low until you return a volley of your own. The dodge can also be used to slide over cover, allowing for quick escapes should your cover be in danger of collapse. Executing a dodge well enough can trigger a brief slowdown, a pseudo bullet time that allows the player to make efficient followup shots or better maneuver into a new point of cover.

     Each gun you pick up has a slightly different feel; the shotguns have very short range but are quite lethal, pistols are built to be sturdy and suitable for all encounters, while the musket seems designed to stun enemies and leave them open for a quick, close-range kill. Rather than have limited ammunition, each gun operates with infinite ammo, but a strict reload timer. For example, the starter revolver holds four shots and fires fairly quickly but takes 1.5 seconds to regenerate its bullets. The shotgun, on the other hand, can hold one or two shots but takes two seconds to reload. Dodging or firing pauses this reload timer, forcing players to be economic and mindful in their positioning and availability of ammunition without the need to scrounge for more bullets yourself. To offset this inconvenience, William can carry two firearms at once, plus two extra utility items like the aforementioned dynamite and axe. On controllers, you use one trigger per gun, and one bumper per utility item.

     Enemies are not just vulnerable to weaponry, however. Should all else fail, closing the gap between yourself and the enemy has a chance to instead result in a melee, a sturdy kick that breaks an enemy's defense and leaves them stunned, during which another kick will usually put them down as efficiently as a bullet. William's opponents can also be stunned by igniting the lanterns that hang from the ceiling, with the flash of light blinding those trying to attack for a few seconds, usually long enough to pick off one or two enemies before they regain their senses. Players will need to master these mechanics to progress through the mazelike halls, but once they have, William becomes a death-dealing machine, lethal and efficient as he dispatches the damned souls that bar his progression through Purgatory. Should you make it all the way to the end of the beta's lone floor, a tricky but far from impossible boss fight awaits. Here, players will face the powerful and imposing Wendigo. Defeating this beast grants you an in-game trophy; a pair of antlers greet William when he returns to the Saloon, mounted on the wall near the exit to Purgatory's shadowed halls.

     To summarize, I've found my time in West of Dead to be nothing short of charming. It has a beautiful visual style, an expertly crafted soundscape, capped off by a competent and easy to follow gameplay loop that still sports a healthy dose of challenge and intrigue. UpstreamArcade has displayed a certain mastery over this genre with not but a small slice of a game that will likely be so much more than the already stellar sum of this beta's parts. For people who are already fans of twin-stick shooters or roguelikes, this game is absolutely worth your time. For newcomers intrigued by the striking visuals or the unique blend of gothic tones and western themes, this game is still a solid recommendation, though it may take some getting used to before you're completely satisfied. Overall, I'm very excited for West of Dead, and eagerly await the full game's release whenever that may be.

     Thirty-five years ago, a comic author by the name of Matt Wagner began a story. This was a story of adventure and intrigue, magic and mysticism. This was the story of Mage. Fast forward to today, and I just finished reading the final issue of The Hero Denied, the final marvelous issue of the glorious adventure that was Mage. I wish I could say that I've been here since the beginning, faithfully reading and following Keven along his journey since issue one all those years ago. Unfortunately, that was before my time. And yet, while I may have been a few years late to the party, I’m so happy I showed up at all.

     My first memory of Mage was when I was a kid, probably between 10 and 12 years old (for context, I’m currently 25). I was wandering the cold, dimly lit concrete basement of my grandparent's farmhouse, seeking refuge from a particularly warm summer day in New Hampshire. I had long since exhausted any other activities and hoped to find something that would reinvigorate the day, bring an end to my current stagnation. It was then that I discovered Mage. There, amidst the organized clutter of the spacious basement, on a surprisingly pristine metal shelf, sat a series of large paperback tomes, each bearing a title that I simply could not ignore. "Mage: The Hero Discovered". My curiosity piqued, imagination ignited by the colorful spines and beautifully stylized lettering, I slid the first book off the shelf. 

     Now, I had grown up reading a myriad of comic books; from contemporary Batman, reprinted Calvin and Hobbes, to the more vintage Elf Quest collections I had been given by my mother. But Mage was something else entirely. From the very first page, I could tell I was reading something special. Between the stunning, vibrant art and the imaginative, fantastical prose and narrative, Mage stole the rest of that day (and many more afterward). I can still remember the slightly stagnant, musty air of the basement and the chill of the concrete that I sat on, pouring over every page again and again until I had finished that first volume. I remember scrambling to retrieve the next one, and the next after that, rapidly consuming volume after volume until I had read it all. It was, and remains, one of the single best stories I have ever experienced.

     But what is Mage? As stated earlier, Mage is a trilogy of graphic novels penned by one Matt Wagner. Wagner is a prolific writer, a name that many comic fans will likely have heard of before thanks to his contributions to stories across the years, penning tales for DC, Marvel, Vertigo, Dark Horse, and most recently Image Comics. But for me, Mage stands out amongst all the rest, serving as (in my opinion) his Magnum Opus. Wagner describes Mage as an "allegorical autobiography", with characters and situations inspired by his own life but told through the lens of a fantasy adventure.

     Mage is split across three acts: The Hero Discovered, The Hero Defined, and lastly, The Hero Denied. As a whole, Mage follows the adventures of Kevin Matchstick, a seemingly average guy whose life is quickly upended when he intervenes in the assault of a homeless man. This one, hapless instance leads him to meet Mirth, the titular Mage, who leads him on a journey of self-discovery, of good and evil, a fantastical quest for the modern day. Along the way, Kevin and Mirth meet a handful of colorful characters both working with and against them; from the savvy and capable Edsel to the mysterious and deadly Grakleflints, from the heroic duo of Joe and Kirby to the Umbra Sprite, Kevin’s ultimate foe. 

Suffice it to say, I'm rather fond of Persona 5. The game won me over with its brilliant narrative, endearing cast of primary and secondary characters, its flashy visual aesthetic, and the masterpiece of a soundtrack that topped it all off. It was hard to find things not to like with my time in Persona 5, and it quickly became one of my favorite games of 2017; an opinion formulated after pouring over a hundred hours into a single playthrough alone. Initially releasing on April 4th, 2017, it's been just over a year since Persona 5 came out and I've since started on my first foray into its new game+, still finding it just as thrilling and emotionally rewarding as the first time I laid hands on it. Long story short, Persona 5 is a fantastic game. But it isn't the game I've come to talk about with this article, but rather, the recently released Persona 5: The Animation, or simply, P5:A. The anime started its run on April 8th, and we're now three episodes into a planned twenty-four episode long series. So how does the anime stack up to its near masterpiece of a video game counterpart?

The answer, so far, is that P5:A holds up pretty well. It isn't without its flaws, which I'll get to, but it has its fair share of strengths to make up for any detractions. One of the show's biggest strengths is in its visual quality, though it is here where one of its flaws lies as well. Design-wise, the anime excels, matching the established visuals of the game and its numerous animated cutscenes found within. The characters look how they should, environments are nicely detailed, and scenes are never lacking in visual appeal. Animation wise, however, there are occasions where characters have appeared stiff or lacking in fluidity, especially where fights are concerned. Despite these occasional lapses in animation quality, P5:A still looks good, and there's plenty of time to work on the bigger action setpieces the show has yet to cover.

Another double-edged sword that the show has is in its handling of the narrative. On one hand, the show's pacing has been very swift. These first three episodes blaze through almost the whole first arc of the game, taking much of the expository or exploratory scenes and condensing them for the sake of time. Several parts of the game are lost or modified, though the show at least remains on a path that's easy to follow for the viewer. It's given the show a very rushed feeling, with scenes never lingering too long before hastening you along to the next story beat. This whiplash pacing isn't wholly unsatisfying, but hopefully, future story arcs will take a bit more time to develop themselves. As it stands, this pacing feels more tailored towards veteran fans, rather than newcomers to the series. Despite this issue, the anime has contributed a few unique scenes that the game was lacking. It's nice to see new content, though a few of these added scenes may be lost on anybody who hasn't already experienced Persona 5.

Concerning the audio of the show, everything has been right on point so far. P5:A retains the original Japanese cast from the game, so none of the characters sound different between the two iterations. Players who only played the game in English may have mixed feelings on the vocal disparity, though personally, I'm a fan of both the English dub of the game and the Japanese found in the show. The show's music is being handled by Shoji Meguro, whose quality compositions have transferred perfectly from the game. There aren't any faults to be found in the sound design thus far, at least not in my opinion. The cast is doing a great job, the score continues to sound amazing, and the myriad of sound effects have been carrying their weight in each scene as well. 

     To say Watchmen was a good comic is like saying Bob Ross was a good artist; that is, both sentences are obvious understatements. Watchmen was - and remains - a piece of literary genius, a commercial and critical success. It was one of the first graphic novels to make it onto Time Magazine's best 100 novels list and a winner of the illustrious Hugo Award. For those who don't know, Watchmen is a graphic novel written by Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Batman - The Killing Joke) and drawn by Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It started publication in 1986, continuing for twelve issues into 1987, before being collected into a single volume that same year. Watchmen's story is a rich and complex narrative that plays out as equal parts political satire, murder mystery, and deconstruction of the superhero genre. It takes place in an alternate history than our own, in which the world saw the rise of the costumed hero back in the 1940s whos presence dramatically altered the course of world events; America wins the Vietnam War, Watergate is never exposed, and Nixon abolishes the term limitations, going on to be president far longer than he ever should have been. The 1980s see America and Russia edging closer and closer to World War III. Amidst all the political chaos the aforementioned costumed heroes have been outlawed, with many of them now retired or serving the government. All of this history leads to the event which kicks off the entire Watchmen graphic novel; The death of the Comedian, a hero turned government agent and the investigation that follows.  

     I could talk at length about my love of Watchmen from both the original graphic novel to the 2009 film adaptation, praise its subtleties, narrative, nuances, and motifs, but that's not why we're here today. Instead, we're here to talk about Doomsday Clock, the Geoff Johns (Flashpoint, DC Rebirth #1) led Watchmen sequel. The idea of a sequel is outlandish to some, and with good reason; the last watchmen project that went through was 2012's controversial Before Watchmen, a DC comic book series designed to serve as a prequel to the events of Watchmen proper with each story focusing on a different hero or villain from the original series. Led by a myriad of different creative minds, the project was met with lukewarm critical reception, especially by Alan Moore himself. Personally, I consider the series to be fine at best, neither overly terrible or outstandingly good. It certainly wasn't the stroke of mastery that Watchmen was. This could be said for much of the DC universe at this time; 2012 was just one year into DC's controversial New 52 continuity. It abolished decades of established DC history, electing to start a new continuity more accessible to new readers, but left many veteran fans displeased. The New 52 continued from 2011 to 2016, and it was here that DC found themselves at a turning point. The New 52 was coming to a close, and a rebirth was at hand. DC Rebirth, to be exact.

     The DC Rebirth special, also written by Johns, served as a return to form; while still following the New 52 history, Rebirth's goal was to restore as much of the old as it could, bringing back characters and storylines lost to the New 52 and incorporating them into the current canon. On a list of things to read before starting Doomsday Clock, this would be number one. The issue follows Kid Flash, aka Wally West, on his journey back home. It serves as the first in-universe indication that things are amiss in the DCU. Something, or someone, has stolen a decade from the world. Memories, Characters, Events...Rebirth kicks off the mystery of who this somebody is in a spectacular fashion - by bridging the DC Universe with that of Watchmen. This bridge would go on to be further established by a myriad of different storylines throughout the current Rebirth comic line, but most notably by The Button crossover event. In The Button, we see Batman and Flash investigate the mystery of a certain bloodstained smiley face which lodged itself in the Batcave at the end of the Rebirth special. It was also with The Button that we got the reveal of Doomsday Clock, which started its twelve issue publication run in the tail end of November 2017.

     So, we're here. We're finally at Doomsday Clock. The Big To-Do, the explosive clash between Alan Moore's Watchmen with DC Comics. As it stands right now, Doomsday Clock is one-quarter finished, with three of its twelve issues available to read right now. So how is it? Well, in my opinion, Doomsday Clock is fantastic. It's no Watchmen, but I don't think it was ever supposed to be. Doomsday Clock serves as a direct sequel to Moore's masterpiece and does a good job standing up next to it, at least so far. So far Geoff Johns has done a fantastic job authoring this story, seeding it with mysteries and hooks that keep you guessing and wanting more. His prose isn't identical to Moore's, but carries the same heft and feel. His writing is amplified by the equally fantastic artwork courtesy of Gary Frank and colorist Brad Anderson. Together the two make the comic pop, painting a vibrant collage across every panel and page. Their style is distinct, adhering rather faithfully to Watchmen's nine-panel grid, sporting visuals that feel right at home next to the literary classic. The tone of Doomsday Clock also melds well with Watchmen, with both stories being byproducts of the political climate of their respective times. Watchmen played off of the politics of the eighties, creating an even darker vision of the world in a sort of parody. Doomsday Clock almost got scrapped, before the 2016 presidential election and how the world changed as a result of it. Together they feel like stories that go hand in hand, but for the purists out there, Watchmen can still be seen as its own work, an entity separate from all else.

     But what is Doomsday Clock about? As earlier stated, Doomsday Clock serves as a direct sequel to, and a crossover of, Watchmen and DC Rebirth. But what does that mean? Watchmen concludes with Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, succeeding in his mad plot to bring peace at the expense of countless lives. He averts nuclear war through a convoluted scheme involving a faux-alien invasion and the death of over three million people. Following this Doctor Manhattan, the only truly superpowered being of that world, left earth to find a new universe that was less messy than that of Watchmen's. The Rebirth special established the idea that a hidden power was manipulating the DC universe and all of its characters, a godlike entity who has been watching and altering events to their whim or for some unknown purpose. This entity is revealed to be Doctor Manhattan. Through the Rebirth Special, the Comedian's badge embeds itself in the wall of the Batcave. Batman studies this button, along with the flash, leading to an adventure through dimensions, other realities, presenting a further look at the modifications Manhattan has done to the DC Universe. This leads to Doomsday Clock, where the crossover truly begins. The world of Watchmen is in chaos. The people have discovered the truth behind Veidt's scheme, and it pushed them over the brink. Doomsday Clock's first issue sees all of this play out, taking place seven years after the conclusion of Watchmen. Watchmen's world faces nuclear annihilation, and this time nothing stands in its way. Hence a new scheme by Veidt; he builds a team with the sole purpose of locating the absent Manhattan and bringing him back to the Watchmen universe in an attempt to right the world's wrongs.

     This is the basis for Doomsday Clock's story - the hunt for Doctor Manhattan, and the investigation into his true impact on the DC Universe at large. Veidt's team for this universe-spanning endeavor consists of himself, a new Rorschach, and two original characters; The Marionette and the Mime. The first Doomsday Clock issue sees them all coming together, while the second one sends them on their way. As of Issue three, all the players are in motion. It is here I want to diverge a moment and express a certain admiration for an accomplishment Geoff Johns has met with this story. With the Marionette and the Mime, Johns has managed to create new characters that still feel like they could have existed back when Alan Moore first wrote Watchmen all those years ago. Mime and Marionette, much like the other characters from Watchmen, are based on Charlton Comics characters - Punch and Jewelee. Husband and Wife, both are costumed villains in the Watchmen universe, with Doomsday Clock #1 seeing Rorschach springing them from jail in order to recruit them for their mission. Mime is mute, as his name implies, while Marionette is the voice. Doomsday Clock's second issue establishes a believable backstory, solidifying their necessity and value in the events to come. It is with these original characters that Johns proves he is more than capable of capturing Watchmen's tone and feel, a fact that is further solidified as the story goes on.

     On the DC side of things, Doomsday Clock is set one year into the future of all current DC stories, further emphasizing that this is the tale Rebirth has been leading to since issue one. The world is faced with a superhero identity crisis; a new theory has been bred that asks the question, "Why are almost all the heroes and villains American?". Dubbed the Superman theory, it has the DC world in its own state of disarray, proposing the idea that the American government has found a way to create heroes and villains in an attempt to get an edge, hence its large number of metahumans as compared to any other region of the world. This ire spills over to Batman as well, with some of our first moments in Gotham being as viewers to a rather angry protest of the Dark Knight. This hasn't stopped Batman from doing what he does best, but it does show a dramatic tonal shift on the behalf of public perception to his heroics. Under the Cowl, Batman isn't faring any better; Wayne Tech and LexCorp are currently at war with one another on a corporate level. To quote Sally Juspeczyk from Watchmen, "Things are tough all over, cupcake."

     This past year was, to put it mildly, rather tumultuous. For every high point of the year, there seemed to be low points all around it. But now the year has ended, and hopefully, this next one brings more good and a hell of a lot less bad than its predecessor. However, as said; 2017 wasn't all bad, and this is what I've decided to write about today. Finding myself inspired by the myriad of posts about people's top five or ten games, movies, shows, and so on, I've decided to continue that trend and catalogue the media I found to be exceptional, the media that helped me through the ups and downs of these twelve long months we just experienced. Some I may have written about before, and some will be new, but all of them deserve praise and recognition abound...at least, in my opinion. So without further ado; here are my most enjoyed pieces of media I experienced in 2017.

     We'll start this article off by discussing a category I haven't really discussed on this blog before - music. The reason I don't usually write about music is due to how disparate my preferences can be for this particular media medium. Some days, I'm all about hard and the heavy, while others I'll dip into instrumentals, jazz, or video game soundtracks. Hence, the music I'll be listing here won't have much of a comparable flow - I just thought it was all pretty good.

     This first album ties into one of my favorite games from 2017, easily a contender for my choice for Game of the Year; the soundtrack to the superb indie game Night in the Woods, as orchestrated by Alec Holowka. The soundtrack is beautifully mellow, pleasantly tuned for ambiance. In the game, the music accentuates and emphasizes all of the game's themes, emotional depth, and down-to-earth feel. Out of the game, the soundtrack is perfect for chilling out, studying, writing, or any such easy-going activity. I frequently found myself playing it in the background whilst reading or doing the few articles I wrote, or using it to relax after a particularly trying moment. Continuing the theme of game soundtracks, another that caught my fancy was the Persona 5 OST, composed by Shoji Meguro. An eclectic mashup of genres, the soundtrack bounces between somber piano, energized guitar, and jazz compositions, with a handful of excellent vocal tracks thrown in for good measure. This album is great for a variety of moods or activities thanks to the numerous tones and tempos the music flows between. And with nearly four hours worth of music to sift through, it stands to reason you'll be able to find something you like.

     Moving from video game music, another album I found myself enjoying through the year was Alestorm's No Grave but the Sea. If you're unfamiliar with Alestorm, they fill a rather particular music niche; Pirate Metal, a fusion of piratical slang and heavy metal. Alestorm further accentuates their distinct sound with frequent usage of brass and string instruments, as well as a synthesized accordion. I found myself intrigued by their music several years ago when the band released the album Back through Time, and have followed them since. No grave but the Sea is relatively short, coming in at under an hour across its ten tracks. If you're a fan of niche genres, or just a metal fan looking for something new, I'd recommend you give it a listen. Closing out the music section is Linkin Park's One More Light. OML released only a few weeks after Alestorm's No Grave but the Sea but usurped it in my music library almost instantly for a brief time before the unfortunate suicide of Chester Bennington. In fact, I would call One more Light one of Linkin Park's best albums, despite it being the starkest departure from the band's hard rock sound to date. That isn't to say the album isn't heavy, though. One More Light is heavy in tone, as opposed to sound; If you want an example, listen to the premier single "Heavy" or the titular "One More Light", and you'll get a firm grasp on how the album feels. One more Light clocks in at a short but sweet thirty-five minutes, and I would wholeheartedly recommend taking the time to sit down and listen to it in full.

     TV shows take the second slot, though I'll be honest; I definitely don't watch a lot of television. Not live, anyway. Most of what I watch is through streaming services, so a few of these aren't technically from 2017, at least not in full. But since I first watched these shows in 2017 it counts. Without further ado, here are my favorite television shows I started or finished in 2017.

     Kicking off the television roster is Twin Peaks. If you're unfamiliar with the show, Twin Peaks was written and directed by David Lynch. It stars Kyle MacLachlan as the charming and amusing Special Agent Dale Cooper, a federal investigator sent to the enigmatic small town of Twin Peaks to solve the murder of local sweetheart Laura Palmer. Not much can be said about the plot of this show without spoiling it or just plain confusing somebody, but suffice it to say that all they appear to be. Everybody has a secret, and the show doesn't take too long to spiral into the surreal in typical Lynchian fashion. Twin Peaks initially debuted in 1990, earning two seasons and a cult following that lasted the 26-year gap until its third season released in 2017. Long story short; the show is great - It has intrigue, comedy, a wide cast of interesting characters, and a story that will keep you guessing until the end and beyond. The show isn't without its faults and can be flat out baffling at times, but despite all of that the show and its story is a fantastic experience to behold.

     The next show on my list both compliments and contrasts Twin Peaks; Broadchurch. Broadchurch is a crime serial taking place in the fictional (and titular) town of Broadchurch, starring David Tennant as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, and Olivia Colman co-stars as Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller. The series kicks off by investigating the murder of local youth Daniel Latimer, before moving on through its three-season run to investigate another murder case and finally a sexual assault, all the while weaving a compelling tale of a small town trying to cope with and move on from these horrible crimes. Broadchurch is a heavy experience, with very little levity to break up the tension of each investigation. That being said, It's still an excellent show with a genuinely compelling narrative backed up by the top-notch acting of the cast.

     Setting aside the crime drama, we come to the next show - Voltron: Legendary Defender. Technically, the series' first season debuted in 2016, but 2017 saw the release of the second, third, and fourth seasons, meaning it was a pretty Voltron filled year. Legendary Defender is the latest in the long line of Voltron adaptations, following the Paladins of Voltron as they fight to defend the galaxy from the evil Galra Empire. Now I've never watched any of the other Voltron shows, so I can't speak for their quality (or lack thereof). As far as first impressions to a series go, Legendary Defender couldn't be better. Helmed by DreamWorks and Netflix, and written by the creative minds behind Avatar the last Airbender and its sequel Legend of Korra, Legendary Defender was probably the best-animated show I watched all year. In terms of quality, the show is top notch. Excellent voice acting, great animation, and a fun but serious story that has me eagerly anticipating wherever it goes in 2018.

     Wrapping up this section are the many, many Netflix Marvel series. This includes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and finally The Punisher. I had already seen some of these before but went in for a rewatch in preparation for all the new stuff coming out in 2017. If you're not familiar with these shows, however unlikely that is, I'll summarize each show in a sentence or two. Daredevil follows Matthew Murdoch who, after losing his sight but gaining superhuman senses as a child, fights crime in hell's kitchen on two fronts; as a lawyer, and as the vigilante Daredevil. Jessica Jones follows former street hero turned private-eye, Jessica Jones, as she tries to deal with the aftermath of a traumatic incident in her past while an old foe comes back to haunt her. Luke Cage follows Ex-Con and titular character Luke Cage as he tries to clean up the streets of Harlem and free it from corruption. Iron Fist follows Danny Rand, boy billionaire and sworn defender of Kun Lun as he tries to combat a mysterious organization known as The Hand. The Defenders finally unites these four heroes for the first time, as they all come together to battle the aforementioned Hand in an attempt to stop them once and for all. Finally, we come to The Punisher, which follows war veteran turned vigilante Frank Castle as he hunts the people responsible for the murder of his wife and children. I won't go into an extended review here, so to keep it simple; Daredevil is amazing (though its second season has some flaws), Jessica Jones is great, Luke Cage is great, Iron Fist is fine, The Defenders is amazing, and the Punisher is fantastic...to summarize, pretty much all of these shows are worth a watch.

     Now, as I said at the beginning of this article, 2017 was a pretty shaky year. A lot of ups, and a lot of downs. Many of these ups, at least for me, are in the next category; 2017 was a pretty great year for movies, in my opinion. It was a busy year for movies, but when isn't it? For every one movie I watched, there were three more I had to wait on, but pretty much every film I watched in 2017 knocked it out of the park. From comic book films to horror flicks, each one of these movies takes the cake.

     The premier movie for this article is Get Out, one of the contenders for my favorite movies of the year. Helmed by Jordan Peele, Get Out is a genuinely uncomfortable horror/thriller about a black boyfriend meeting the family of his white girlfriend. It tells a heavy but undeniably compelling story, one that keeps you guessing and inspires a fair amount of thought after the fact. I won't go into too much here, but I will say that if you haven't seen this movie, you absolutely should. Speaking of movies that make you think, Bright is up next, the new racially-conscious Netflix movie starring will smith and....no, not really. Actually, The Lego Batman Movie is up next; a goofy, charming, and stark contrast to all of the gritty DC movies that have been churned out over the past few years. This movie was genuinely funny and felt fun to watch...something that can't be said about some of the more recent DC films. I've written about this movie before, and my thoughts today still echo that review; This was one of the best Batman movies I've seen. Following The Lego Batman Movie, the next film on my list is John Wick: Chapter 2. There's not much to say about this movie other than the fact that it's a top-notch sequel that keeps all of the pros of its predecessor, and in some cases, improves on them. It isn't a terribly different story than its predecessor; Somebody messes with John Wick, so John Wick messes back by going on a vengeance-fueled spree. It's an action-filled thrill ride that doesn't disappoint.

     Another action-filled thrill ride takes the form of Logan, and....wow. Logan is another contender for my favorite film of the year. The movie serves as equal parts finale for both Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman as Charles Xavier and Wolverine respectively, and it does so perfectly. Logan is a shining example of what Comic Book films should aspire to, with an outstanding script, Oscar-worthy acting, and a top-notch story to close out this era of the X-Men cinematic universe. Finally, we come to one of the last movies released in 2017; Star Wars The Last Jedi. I'm sure if you're reading this, you've probably seen this movie. Maybe you liked it, Maybe not. I, however, thought this movie was pretty damn good. One of the better Star Wars films, I think Rian Johnson did well at what he set out to do. I won't say it's the best movie of the year, but it makes my list of favorites.

     Finally, we come to the last section of this year in review: Video Games. I actually got to play a fair few of these this year and liked basically all of them. But, this isn't "Year in Review, things I thought were passable". This is "Year in Review, my favorites", and so what follows are my favorite games of 2017. From AAA titles to simple indie games, each one of these had the right amount of fun, charm, and entertainment to keep me hooked and keep me coming back to them time and again.

     We'll kick this list off with a game that embodies charming simplicity; Slime Rancher. This game debuted back in 2016 as an early access title but finally released in an official capacity in August of 2017. I didn't think much of it when it came out, just grabbed it since it was free through Xbox Live's games with gold program. Color me surprised, then, when it turned out to be one of my favorite games of the year. I previously wrote about this so you can see my full review here, but what I'll say here is that Slime Rancher is a surefire recommendation on my part. The next two games are anything but simple, at least in terms of story; Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 HD (PS4). I had played these games before, on the PS2 and PS3, but what can I say? Kingdom Hearts is one of my favorite gaming franchises out there, and the ability to play it again on modern consoles was a treat. With the release of Kingdom Hearts III on the horizon (hopefully), going back to experience the franchise in full was a fantastic refresher. If you've never played Kingdom Hearts before, getting the modern gen remasters is your best way to experience these games right now. 

     Following Kingdom Hearts is Persona 5, one of two games I would strongly consider as Game of the Year. I had never played a persona game before this, at least not in full, and this game almost made me regret that. Persona 5 is near perfect, with a great story, smooth and snappy gameplay, and a top-notch aesthetic balanced between its visuals and its sound design. Atlus has a history of making quality games, and Persona 5 is no exception. Continuing from there, we come to Night in the Woods, the second of my two Game of the Year contenders. In fact, were it not for Persona 5, Night in the woods would be the winner for 2017, at least in my book. This is another game I've written about in full and I would recommend reading that review here because I had a fair amount to say. Night in the Woods saw two releases in 2017, once at the start of the year, and once at the end of it. Because of this, the game both kicked off and closed down my 2017 year, and I couldn't have asked for a better game to do so.

It feels like it's only been a few months since I laid hands on the Star Wars Battlefront Beta, as opposed to the few years it's actually been. And now here we are, just over a month out until the release of the much-anticipated sequel, getting our hands on its shiny new beta. Thanks to early access, I've had a small amount of time to try out the beta for Star Wars Battlefront II, the latest installment in the long-running Battlefront series of Star Wars games. Its predecessor debuted back in 2015, and was a mixed bag for quite some time; it only really shaped up around the release of its last few DLCs. That isn't to say the game wasn't fun, but its lack of content definitely didn't keep me hooked. Content aside, the game was enjoyable. It had tight controls that felt fluid in both first and third person, beautifully detailed visuals, and a fantastic soundtrack. Regardless of if you were participating in massive firefights planetside, or trying your hand as a pilot in heated dogfights, whether you were a simple trooper or a lightsaber toting Jedi, all of the action felt engaging and fast-paced. Whether you called it a reboot or a sequel to the older battlefront installments, it felt like a worthy continuation of the series, and it definitely improved over time. So how does its successor compare?

Battlefront 2 feels like a game built around the time old statement, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The game's controls still feel responsive in whichever view you prefer, and the overall gameplay still feels great to experience. Combat is frantic, fast-paced, but manages to still stay simple and easy to grasp for the new or casual players. In short, the game is still very fun. The graphics still look stunning, with beautifully detailed levels whos visuals look like they were pulled right out of their respective movies, accompanied by the music fans have come to love. So what's changed, you might ask. Well, on the surface, not a whole lot. The biggest change would have to be the inclusion of different Star Wars eras, as opposed to centering exclusively on the reign of the galactic empire and the struggling rebellion that made up this game's predecessor. Battlefront 2 features maps and moments from all across the star wars continuity, from the Phantom Menace's Theed palace on Naboo to the Starkiller Base seen in The Force Awakens.

While the full release will feature a myriad of planets and game modes to explore and do battle on, The beta chooses to focus on three worlds; Naboo, the skies above Fondor, and Takodana, with each world relating to a particular era of the star wars saga. Naboo, as seen in the prequel trilogy, is host to both the beta's Arcade and Galactic Assault modes. Arcade mode features a small-scale conflict, racing against the clock or simply wearing down enemy forces until one side runs out of lives. Galactic assault sees players going head to head as either clone troopers or the droid army in the battle for Theed Palace while giving players the chance to also try out the various hero characters the Beta has to offer, such as Rey or Darth Maul. Fondor, representing the Galactic Empire and the Rebellion, is host to the Starfighter Assault mode; as the name implies, this puts players in the cockpit for frantic aerial dogfights. Lastly, The Force Awakens' Takodana features the Strike mode, a class-based, hero free conflict that focuses more on team cohesion than the run-and-gun play of galactic assault. Not featured in the beta is the much anticipated Single Player mode, though arcade mode does feature solo play.

The second biggest change would have to be the inclusion of player classes. While Battlefront 1 featured a veritable arsenal of selectable firearms, battlefront 2 elects to return to a more familiar class-based system. Instead of sticking with the same trooper as everyone else, with the only difference being which gun you chose to take, players instead start the match by choosing between one of four classes; assault, heavy, officer, and specialist. Assault is the rush-down class, excelling at quick hard-hitting attacks, easily maneuvering throughout the battlefield. Heavies are self-explanatory; they dish out and take damage like no tomorrow, and come equipped with a temporary shield to boot, with the drawback of being slightly slower. Officers provide buffs for their allies and can deploy turrets. Specialists are the more defensive characters, coming equipped with a sniper rifle as well as deployable traps, generally staying back while the rest of the team pushes forwards. Mixing and matching the classes effectively is generally the way to go if you're looking to stay on top of the enemy, while the overarching class system adds a measure of welcomed unpredictability to every battle. Throwing hero characters like Boba Fett or Darth Maul into the fray pushes this one step further, but the heroes themselves aren't terribly different from how they were in the previous game.

To say that farming simulators have made a name for themselves in the video game world would be an understatement. Games like Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley, even simple browser games like Farmville have all gotten their time in the spotlight, and many still hold a torch and a fan-base all their own. But it's time to shine the light on a fresh new entry into the genre, a simple yet outstanding new game called Slime Rancher. Set in the far future, in a region of the universe known as the Far Far Range, Slime Rancher follows a young woman by the name of Beatrix LeBeau as she sets off on her own to experience the perils of ranch life in the final frontier. To quote the press kit, "With a can-do attitude, plenty of grit, and her trusty vac-pack, Beatrix attempts to stake a claim, amass a fortune, and avoid the continual peril that looms from the rolling, jiggling avalanche of slimes around every corner."

This description is an excellent introduction to our main character but is far from the only information we get to learn about Beatrix as you play out her life as a Rancher. That being said, none of the information we learn comes from Beatrix herself. In fact, Beatrix doesn't even speak and has little to no agency of her own. Instead, Slime Rancher's story comes from emails, and messages left behind by the ranch's previous owner, Hobson Twilliger. These messages are found scattered about the world, serving as equal parts guide and autobiography. Hobson will educate you on new areas you discover, while simultaneously recounting his time on the range, his life and exploits before vacating the Ranch you now call home. The Emails are from your childhood friend, Casey, who frequently writes to you about fond memories and recollections, serving as the primary source of backstory into Beatrix's life before she set out into the Far Far Range. Aside from Casey and Hobson, Beatrix also gets occasional correspondence from the game's small supporting cast of fellow ranchers, as well as the 7Zee corporation. The ranchers include such faces as Victor Humphries; a slime scientist, Mochi Miles; the self-proclaimed number one rancher and Plort investor, and Bob; the chicken enthusiast who may or may not be a collection of slimes cleverly disguised in a hat and trench coat. The 7Zee corporation is the company who all ranchers work under, who will contact you about new ranch features and character upgrades. These faces make up the cast of Slime rancher, and while you never interact with anybody person to person, thanks to their correspondences, you never feel far from a friendly face.

Moving on to the meat of it all, Slime Rancher is at its core a very simple and relaxing experience. You begin the game with a small dowry of funds, and a plot of land to call your own. You get a brief tutorial which details the basics of ranching, things like how to harvest crops, how to collect slimes, and how to manage your resources. Initially, the list of slimes available is low, but as players continue to explore their surroundings, more exotic species begin to appear, each with their own risks and rewards for the aspiring rancher. For example; The first slime species players encounter are Pink Slimes. These are the bread and butter variety of slime; they'll eat anything, and they pose no inherent risks. They provide a small but necessary amount of profit. In comparison, one of the last slime types you encounter is known as the Quantum Slime. These are high maintenance, high reward slimes; they have the uncanny ability to phase between different realities, allowing them to escape their pens and run amok if not properly cared for. This is balanced out by the usually high profits they churn out, though, making them a welcome addition to your ranch should you have the patience or the food supply to mediate their antics. Now, despite each Slime's particular quirks, the game is still a simple and relaxing affair, as mentioned prior. The game has an easy slope of escalation, never throwing too much at a player at one time.

There's always a new goal to strive for, but there's never a time limit as to when you have to reach it. Everything in Slime Rancher is done at the player's pace, and never truly penalizes for missed opportunities or lackadaisical play. In fact, there are only two time-sensitive aspects of the game. The first is known as the Plort Market; the currency exchange that takes in Plorts (Slime Byproduct) and in turn dispenses Newbucks, the game's version of currency. The market value of Plorts changes every in-game day at midnight, with values fluctuating from high to low or simply stagnating at a certain number. The second is the Range Exchange, which is a feature that opens up to players within their first in-game week of play. The range exchange is a trading post, linking Beatrix with daily optional requests from the other ranchers out on the range. Give somebody what they want, and you get a corresponding reward. Choose to ignore the trade requests, and a new request will pop up the next day at noon. So, you'll have plenty of chances to do these trades, or not. The choice is entirely in the players' hands.

Even the most casual of media purveyor probably knows who Batman is. The DC Comics Icon first appeared in Detective Comics #27, released back in 1939. Call him what you will; The Caped Crusader, the world's greatest detective, the dark knight, Batman has had many faces across his lengthy run of comic books, television shows, and movies. His first silver screen appearance was back in 1966, in which he was portrayed by none other than the late Adam West. The show, running from '66 to '68, featured not only West's Batman, but also Burt Ward as Robin, Caesar Romero as the Joker, Julie Newmar as Catwoman, and so on. It was a far more jovial spin on Batman than in recent days, with a healthy dosage of gallantry, witty banter, and a colorful assortment of ne'er-do-wells to challenge the dynamic duo at every turn with a lengthy list of capers. The show was, at its core, fun. Yet, like all good things, it eventually came to an end.

Fast forward 48 years, however, and fans were treated to the nostalgia-fueled blast from the past; Batman - Return of the Caped Crusaders. A direct to video animated spectacle, Return of the Caped Crusaders released roughly a year ago in August of 2016. It featured not only the return of West as the titular Caped Crusader but also saw Burt Ward and Julie Newmar returning to voice Robin and Catwoman respectively. It plays like a love letter to fans of the classic television show, holding up many of the values the old show instilled; humor, daring escapades, and above all, an ever-present sense of fun. Harkening back to the campy stories of old, this film sees the Dynamic Duo once again pitted against their greatest foes; The Joker, Riddler, Penguin, and Catwoman as they attempt a myriad of schemes involving a devious drug known as "batnip" and a scientific marvel in the form of a replication ray, all culminating into a shocking (yet hilarious) twist that I won't spoil here. The animation is top notch, carrying the feel of the classic show's cinematography shot for shot as it rolls through its runtime, and the voice work is equally exemplary. West, Ward, and Newmar returned to their roles with noticeable confidence and ease, while the rest of the cast provide fresh, yet appropriate takes that pay homage to the original television actors. Return of the Caped Crusaders is short of cinema standards, running a mere 78 minutes from start to finish. Despite its length, however, the movie feels feature length, culminating in a wholly satisfying experience overall.

This would not be the only newly released family focused appearance of the Dark Knight, however. Less than a year later, Cinemas were graced with a feature-length Batman film in the form of The Lego Batman Movie, a pseudo-sequel to the critically acclaimed Lego Movie. As the title of the movie implies, it takes place entirely in the lego world, but despite its brick-centric style, remains a Batman film through and through. This appearance sees Batman (Will Arnett) squaring off against an extensive list of baddies, pulling villains from not only the DC universe but several other Lego-licenced properties as well, in a bid for Gotham City all conjured up by Batman's greatest nemesis; The Joker (Zach Galifianakis). Batman is joined on his quest by his adopted son Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), ever faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth (Ralph Fiennes), and Gotham's new Commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson).

Let me start this review by speaking very plainly. Night in the Woods is a beautiful, amazing masterpiece of a video game. It features a perfect blend of thrilling mystery, humorous banter and satire, and genuine, personal, down to earth commentary on real-world issues not often found in games these days. This includes mental disorders, politics, economics, all tied into a surprisingly compelling narrative, one I enjoyed immensely. It's barely March, and this game is, currently, my leading nomination for Game of the Year, at least so far as my interests are concerned. That being said, onto what this game is all about.

Night in the Woods puts players into the boots of one Mae Borowski, an anthropomorphic cat. However, Mae isn't the only protagonist, arguably. I found in my time with Night in the Woods that Possum Springs, the town where NITW takes place, was just as much the main character as she was, growing and developing itself right along with you. When all's said and done, though, you don't play as a town. You play as Mae, who is returning to Possum Springs, a small town in the Midwest, which she hasn't seen in years. Mae is fresh from dropping out of college, eager to get on with her life. She is a humorous, idealistic character with an excitable personality, and is a far deeper character than you may initially expect. Mae is joined on her story by friends both new and old, each of whom she meets and connects with as the game progresses. Players are first introduced to Gregg, a hyperactive, gruff, exuberant fox, who also happens to be Mae's best friend. From there, we meet Angus, a dapper, nerdy, and hopelessly kind bear who also happens to be Gregg's boyfriend, and Bea, Mae's longtime accomplice and former best friend, a down to earth and somewhat withdrawn...Alligator? Lizard? It's unclear.

Before continuing on with the topic of characters, it seems important to discuss the game's emphasis on Exploration. While never outright stated, Night in the Woods is a game that very much encourages extensive exploration. There is a lot of content to discover in the town of possum springs, ranging from conversations with villagers to small yet notable discoveries that elicit remarks from Mae. The game is largely a side-scroller, with players able to traverse the town by walking left or right across the screen, and plenty of buildings to enter along the way. Aside from just strolling across the screen and going into homes or businesses, however, Night in the Woods features light platforming, with Mae being as agile as she is commentative. You can run and jump on anything from mailboxes to telephone wires to house roofs as you wander about Possum Springs, with very little being out of reach or impassable. As the game goes on, more and more of the town opens up, offering new places to poke about in and new things to find. If you see it, you can probably jump on it or to it, and you probably should. This fact is aided by just how good moving around the game feels, from walking or running to the platforming segments as well.

Looping back to the subject of Characters, exploring offers more than just new things for Mae to remark on, or an opportunity to see just how much work went into creating Possum Springs. It also allows Mae, and you as the player, to discover characters normally hidden or out of reach. These characters usually have at least a few things to talk about, and a few of them go on to even become your new friends. These new friends can include Lori, an anxious mouse and horror movie enthusiast, and Germ, a bird who lives on the outskirts of town. As for the other NPCs you can find, I'll leave them to prospective players' explorative skills. Even if you end up missing someone, Night in the Woods is filled with people to hang out with, all with stories to be told or opinions to share.

Despite the innumerable conversations and quips that fill the world of Night in the Woods, the game is largely lacking in voicework. The most vocal character is Mae, and all you hear from her are the sounds of exertion as you hop about. Oh, and Sharkle, a desktop buddy who hangs out in the corner of your laptop screen, saying hello if you click on him. Though voiceless, Night in the Woods is hardly a silent experience. While characters might be mute, Possum Springs is not. Between the rustling of leaves, the guitar string twang of telephone wires, the hum of cars, and the bustling sounds of everyday life, Night in the Woods is an aural harmony worth taking in. Aside from this, Night in the Woods features a soundtrack that perfectly blends with the sounds of the city. The game's score is brilliant, featuring melodic electronica, synthesized rock instrumentals, and at times, even some smooth jazz. No matter the genre or style being played at a given time, every song that makes up Night in the Woods' soundtrack is worth listening to. Examples of this can be found at the game's Bandcamp page, in the form of a four-track album preview. Unfortunately, no full release has come out thus far.

Gameplay wise, Night in the Woods runs the gambit. You've got your side-scrolling, platforming exploration, but also a myriad of minigames to take part in. These range from Guitar Hero like rhythm sections, a potential knife fight, shoplifting, and even a fully playable, in-universe video game called Demontower. Demontower is a sort of Dungeon Crawling hack and slash, where you play as a sword-bearing adventurer carving their way through the eponymous, monster-filled Demontower. It isn't a complex experience by any means, but don't assume that means Demontower is easy. It features functional combat mechanics and a modest difficulty all its own, with varying enemies and challenging boss fights making up each floor of the tower. Despite its challenge, Demontower is entertaining, as are all of the other minigames you encounter. The long and short of it is; Night in the Woods is quite fun to play, no matter what you're doing in it.

So, Night in the woods has a fantastic narrative, believable and relatable characters, and enjoyable gameplay. But all of that is made all the better by the game's gorgeous visuals. Night in the Woods is a great looking game, with little details thrown in everywhere that make the game pop and the world come to life, like spots of graffiti on buildings, lovingly rendered NPCs that wander the streets of Possum Springs, and much more. Demontower, meanwhile, has a completely separate visual style, sporting retro, pixelated graphics that compliment the dungeon-crawling genre. Concerning visuals, I would be remiss not to talk about a game feature that accompanies you throughout the entirety of your journey. Mae comes equipped with a journal she uses to record her thoughts and lovingly sketch her discoveries or reminisce on humorous moments. Every piece of this journal is hand drawn by Mae, cataloging various points in the game's story and being expanded by near on every interaction you have in town. Flipping through these doodles at the end of the game was a genuine treat, and allowed for a certain level of nostalgia and laughs to be had before the credits rolled.

Firewatch was initially released in February of 2016 for PC, Mac, and PS4, before making the jump to Xbox One in September. Developed by indie studio Campo Santo, Firewatch follows the story of a middle aged man named Henry as he embarks on a new job in the Shoshone National Forest, as a Fire Lookout. The game plays out across 79 days, only a few of which are fully played through, in the summer of 1989. It garnered primarily positive reviews, and in many ways, it deserves the praise. Firewatch has a solid narrative, for the most part. It tells a story with compelling characters, and has a simple gameplay style thats easy to follow. It isn't a long game, but has a choice-based story that encourages repeat playthroughs. Overall, Firewatch is a great game...until it isn't.

To clarify, I would not consider Firewatch to be a poor game, by any standards. As stated above, it has extremely compelling characters, and it feels good to control. The game starts off with a small series of decisions that set the stage for your story, but the basic premise is as follows; Henry meets a woman, they get married, they have some troubles, she gets sick, and Henry flees to his new job in the Shoshone. The player isn't given much variable in their decisions in this stage, as this portion of the narrative is largely set in stone. Once you arrive at your new post, however, your story becomes far more open. You "meet" your boss, Delilah -  a faceless voice through your radio that follows you throughout the rest of the game, becoming close to you in some fashion or form, serving as your guide that ferries the tale along.

Herein lies one of the game's core strengths; the dialogue between Henry and Delilah. Near on every action you take as Henry can be commented on by Delilah, sparking anything from offhand remarks to fleshed out conversations between the two. These interactions feel remarkably human, and make it incredibly easy to connect, or even relate to these two characters. Their conversations create a living, breathing atmosphere that quickly becomes the highlight of Firewatch's narrative, and does wonders at making an otherwise mediocre story into a genuine experience worth one's time. However, connecting to these characters also leads to one of the game's biggest disappointments. Throughout the whole story, you're accompanied by Delilah's voice in your ear, but that's all the character ever amounts to. Henry never once has the ability to meet his boss and companion, leading to an ending that left me feeling quite cheated; despite having Delilah accompany you throughout the story, you never once see her face.

On the subject of sight, Firewatch looks quite amazing. It features a unique visual style that makes everything pop on screen, with vibrant colors complimenting the already rich environment of the forest. Firewatch's art direction blends a sort of cartoonish wonder with the realistic charm of rural nature, which is a definite boon; the game is entirely centered around exploring the Forest, completing various objectives or solving basic puzzles in order to further its mystery, with each day seeing Henry off down another mile of secluded trail or canyon riverside. Complimenting the vibrancy of the forest is a solid soundboard filled with all manner of nature-based noises, bringing further life to the already picturesque landscape. Not to be outdone, though, is the game's soundtrack. Firewatch sports a handful of excellent songs that all serve as excellent tone setters, be it a soothing melody while exploring the forest or a thrilling crescendo whilst having a heated discussion concerning the mystery at hand.

Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series have a long history behind them, with its first title, "Arena" making its debut in 1994. To say the games are popular would be an understatement, an especially potent one in the case of the latest (numbered) title in the franchise: The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim. Releasing originally on 11/11/11, the game debuted to critical acclaim, earning rave reviews and situating itself as a staple of the Elder Scrolls franchise for years to come. This popularity turned especially fruitful for fans, as Skyrim recently saw its second Re-Release (Following 2013's Legendary Edition bundle), appropriately dubbed the Skyrim Special Edition, releasing across PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One this past October. This new edition of the game boasts significantly revamped graphics, from frame rate to resolution, and comes bundled with all of the previously released downloadable content packs; Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire.

If you're new to Skyrim, as unrealistic as that may be, here's a brief rundown of what to expect. Players take the role of The Dragonborn, a hero of variable gender and race imbuted with dragonblood, allowing access to an ancient power known as a Thu'um, or The Voice, the language and combat prowess of Dragons. The dragonborn arrives in Skyrim to find the land in the grips of a civil war; Ulfric Stormcloak has murdered the high king and seeks to usurp the throne, ridding Skyrim of imperial influence and the shackles of the Thalmor, an oppressive elvish alliance. The player, having been confused with a Stormcloak soldier, is off to the chopping block, when an ancient evil rears its head; Dragons have returned to Tamriel. This event catalyzes your adventure, thrusting you headfirst into the overarching story that encompasses Skyrim. However, the main story is but one of the tales the game has to tell; there are also a myriad of guilds, the Civil War, and a wealth of miscellaneous objectives you can complete throughout your time with the game. This list of content is furthered with the addition of the bundled DLC, with Dawnguard tasking the dragonborn to investigate the rising Vampire menace in Skyrim, and the Dragonborn expansion opening up a whole new area to explore; Solstheim, a modestly sized island well off the coast of Skyrim, rife with even more places to explore, more items to find, and more quests to complete.

Concerning completion, I picked up the Xbox One edition on launch day, and have invested roughly 150 hours of my time into playing since its October 28th release. I have finished every mainline story quest between the default game and its two story-heavy DLCs, Dawnguard and Dragonborn, and in doing so have unlocked every single Achievement (or trophy, if you're a PlayStation player) the game has to offer. And I /still/ have a hefty amount of game left to play. Suffice it to say, Skyrim is a game built to last. In its basic state, Skyrim has a jaw dropping amount of longevity, thanks to its myriad of locations to explore, side quests to complete, and unique items to collect. The player has a fair list of play styles to utilize, with an open and free leveling system dependent on which actions you perform most. Are you the stealth focused archer, a spell-laden mage, or a melee focused warrior? Do you favor light or heavy armor? Will you craft this armor, and enchant it? Conjuration or Destruction magic? Player choice isn't just limited to their character, either. Differing dialogue and quest decisions can lead to different, branching conclusions in certain instances, allowing for a high replay value to compliment the games already lengthy lifespan.

However, Skyrim doesn't just boast such extreme longevity thanks to the vanilla content alone. Granted, console players have had to subside on the base game since release. PC players, on the other hand? For years, the computer versions of Skyrim have changed and adapted to player desires, boasting thousands of new content releases and gameplay modifications, from visual remasters to new items and quests. But these releases haven't been courtesy of Bethesda, but rather, the fans and player base of the game itself, thanks to a buzzing and bustling Modding community that still exists to this day. Up until very recently, Mods (or at least the officially sanctioned ones) have been absent from console gaming, with no easy (or legitimate) way to enhance games like Fallout or Skyrim with player-created content. But thanks to Bethesda, mods have finally made their official appearance on consoles, appearing initially in Fallout 4 and now accompanying this Special Edition of Skyrim.

Mods make an enormous difference to the replay-ability and lasting entertainment value of the game, with new mods being added daily, from graphic enhancements to quest overhauls, from new player races to player-created followers, items, and quests. Computer users still have the most mods to choose from, but console players aren't hurting for content. As of the writing of this article, there are 2011 mods available for Xbox one, and 1269 mods on PS4. As a general disclaimer, the PS4 mod scene suffers from the ban of any mods containing external assets, and the crippling size limitations of said mods; While the PC has "infinite" mod space, and the Xbox One has 5 gigs worth of mod space, PS4 players have to get by with not but a single gigabyte.

But enough about Mods and Longevity and all that. How good is the game itself? Granted, the game did debut to rave reviews and garnered an enormous amount of popularity and a longstanding player base and fan community, so the game is already assumed to be quite good. And, honestly, that assumption is completely accurate. Skyrim, as a game, is wonderful. When it released in 2011, the game already felt good to play. The controls were responsive, the graphics were good for the time, and the replay-ability allowed for a lot of play style experimentation. Everything from combat to quests to general exploration felt fun, and that entertainment factor has persevered into the Special Edition re-release. Complimenting the already solid controls (which can be remapped to suit the player's preference), and engaging story, the Special Edition has an aforementioned, and admittedly much needed graphical revamp to compliment modern systems and modern games. If the original game looked good for its time, this game looks great. But I won't lie and say it's the best looking game on the market...but that's what mods are for, no?

Berserk is a long time franchise, originating back in 1989 as a Dark Fantasy manga that still continues to this day. It is a visceral affair, spattered in gore, and certainly not for the faint of heart or light of stomach. Artistically, the manga is beautiful, the characters compelling and the visual direction very inspired. However, the manga is not what I'm here to review today. In December of last year (2015), a new Berserk anime was announced, and today (July 1st, 2016), the first episode of this spectacle premiered. Now, as somebody not alive in 1989, I was unfortunately not around to see its origins, or track its long, satisfying history from the very beginning. Instead, I only hopped onto the Berserk Bandwagon very recently, and have still yet to get caught up on the Manga itself, nor have I watched any of the previous animated adaptations or played the games. However, I've made enough progress in the source material to have been quite excited for this new show, and what follows are my thoughts on its pilot episode.

Berserk, as a whole, is a Dark/Gothic fantasy epic that follows the story of Guts, more commonly known as The Black Swordsman. Guts has a morose life, who is (as of the first episode of the Anime) afflicted with a special brand that attracts demons and the dead, and is thus forced to spend his days warding them off in sufficiently brutal fashion. Previously affiliated with a group of Mercenaries known as the Band of the Hawk, Guts and the rest of the company were betrayed by their leader, Griffith, and used as sacrifices to elevate Griffith to the point of Godhood...or drop him to the state of a Devil. In this process, Guts lost everything; his brethren, his lover, and the one man he assumed he could call a friend. He came out of it alive, and now dedicates the rest of his days to ruthlessly hunting down the demons that came to earth from this accord, and annihilate the five God Hands, of which Griffith is now a member. The memories of this still haunt him to this very day.

The initial episode of the Anime opens with an enigmatic group of knights overlooking a sea of decay and rot, corpses and blood. A narration overlays everything, providing a brief introduction to the events that will follow this adventure. This latest anime adaptation will cover the arc of the manga dubbed "The Black Swordsman", spanning twenty four episodes in total to tell the story. The show follows the previous Berserk film trilogy, which spanned "The Golden Age" arc, a retelling of the events of the Band of the Hawk leading up to their inevitable sacrifice. The only real qualm I had concerning the first episode is that it feels condensed, despite the adequate pacing and flow. Whether this sentiment holds true for the series at large remains to be seen, but the pilot feels like it was just too short for the segment of the arc it covered.

On the technical side of things, This pilot impressed quite a bit. It brings back the same voice cast as the preceding film trilogy, and the characters sound as one would imagine while reading the manga, doing a fine job at bringing the characters to life. Visually, the pilot episode is stunning. It seamlessly blends a myriad of animation and art styles, giving the show a visual aesthetic that makes it look like the Manga in motion, and thus remains very faithful to the art direction and the stylistic choices of the source material. What was already an impressive pilot was made even more so with the musical addition, as the sounds and score flow quite well with the brutality and gruff tone of the show.

Earlier this month, Blizzard finally opened the beta of their new team shooter to the public. Those who pre-ordered the game, like myself, were given an early access code, allowing for three days early access beginning on May 3rd, while the gates were opened to the general public on May 5th. Initially scheduled to close on May 9th, the beta was granted a full day's extension, closing officially on May 10th. The beta allowed players to test their mettle, and try their hand at the gameplay of Overwatch, in a small selection of differing game modes, including one weekly brawl with a unique modifier from the standard formula Overwatch provides. The game, at its core, is a team based, hero oriented first person shooter. The gameplay in the beta was fast paced, with matches consisting of two opposing, six-person teams going head to head. Rounds were short, ten minutes at most, just over a minute at the least if you had a good enough team or poor enough opponents. Each round had a certain objective; Payload involved escorting a vehicle while the other team attempted to halt its movement, Control was a king of the hill mode where both teams fought over one point on the map, and Point Capture was a capture/defend scenario where one team defended an area while the other team attempted to seize it. There was also the ability to go through a tutorial section, in an effort to familiarize yourself with the controls and the heroes you would be playing as or against. For further practice, players could enter into a battle against AI opponents, or coordinate private matches that just included their friends. The weekly brawl of the Beta was a unique game type, incorporating all three modes (Payload, Control, and Point Capture), with one catch; upon player respawn, a random hero was selected for them to use until their next death.

On the subject of heroes, Overwatch has twenty one heroes available, a diverse, multicultural list sectioned off into four overarching archetypes: Offensive, Defensive, Tank, or Support. Each hero has their own play style and personality, regardless of which archetype they are placed in. The game's cast are sectioned into one of three tiers of difficulty. One star heroes are the easiest to use, while three star heroes require the most savvy and skill to utilize effectively in battle. However, there is nothing barring a beginner player for trying out a higher level character, or a veteran using a lower difficulty hero. The entire roster is free to use as a player chooses, depending on the game mode. No matter the star level or archetype, each hero is capable of dealing damage, and in the hands of skilled players, can get the job done in any of the modes of play. Players looking to optimize their team can do so easily, as the game gives small suggestions at the start of every round, notifying players if a team has too many offensive characters, or a dearth of any one specific class. This is not to say, however, that tenacious players couldn't all pick the same character amongst themselves; Overwatch has no limitations on how many of one character can be on a team. This means, in theory, you could go up against an entire team consisting of nothing but Reinhardt, a popular tank character known for his durable shield, high damage absorption, and fierce hammer.

Complementing the array of game types and large list of characters comes Overwatch's list of arenas. Each map is uniquely tailored to the game type at hand, and they match the cast's diversity by being placed all over the globe, from the Temple of Anubis to the rainy streets of King's Row, England. Each area is multi leveled, with a fair number of paths and structures which allow for differing and intuitive strategies each time they are visited, no matter the game mode at hand. Concerning game modes and maps, Certain maps are tailored to just one game type, while others are built for multiple. Regardless, every arena is designed to be accessible for each type of hero, allowing for battles to take place on the streets, on the rooftops, and in some cases, in the air above.  Each map, and the game itself, is beautifully visualized, with the graphics taking on a look and feel reminiscent of Dreamworks or Disney's animated films. Each level is themed after a particular region of the world, Similarly, while Overwatch is a shooter at its core, the violence is particularly stylized, as opposed to excessively visceral.

Previously known as Slasher Vol. 1 - Summer Camp, Friday the 13th: The Game is being developed by Gun Media, who’s previous work include the Mobile/PC series Breach & Clear. 

Much like a previously recommended project, Friday the 13th will be an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game, in which one player controls famed antagonist Jason Voorhees, while the rest of the players take the roles of Crystal Lake camp counselors.